Nigel Carolan expects Donnybrook u20s thriller

Few are expecting Ireland’s clash with England at the Aviva Stadium to be a thing of beauty this Sunday, but those eager for a dash of more aesthetic, attacking rugby would do well to make for Donnybrook on Friday.

Nigel Carolan took over from Mike Ruddock this year with the promise that his U20 charges would play heads-up rugby and the performances against Italy and France have revealed the Connacht academy coach to be a man of his word.

Ireland have claimed 11 tries and 84 points in the opening two rounds and, in England’s world champions, they face a side that flushed a surprise defeat to Wales out of their system with nine touchdowns and 61 unanswered points against the Italians.

Not only that, but the pair will meet on Donnybrook’s 4G pitch which negates the potential affects that mud and rain might normally have on a surface that, love it or hate it, lends itself to a game played at pace.

“It’s a fast track, a very fast track, and both teams have a lot of pace,” agreed Ireland scrum coach John Fogarty. “I’d imagine it will be a high-scoring game. They have a lot of pace in their back three especially, so we’ll have to work to stop them getting quick ball.

“We were happy enough with what we did against Italy on a tricky field in the first game and we did better again on a better pitch (in Dubarry Park) against France. The lads are willing to play rugby and that won’t change.”

The switch to Dublin is something of a major departure for the U20s, who have made Athlone their home since the grade was rebranded from that of U21 in the 2005/06 season. Only once since have they not utilised Dubarry Park. That was in November 2010 when a side containing up-and-comers including Paddy Jackson, Iain Henderson, Luke Marshall, Jordi Murphy and Marty Moore — JJ Hanrahan only made the bench — accounted for Italy in a friendly in Donnybrook.

Friday night should be quite an occasion with the expected invasion of English supporters to the capital, Donnybrook’s central location and the buzz around this Irish side, whose only injury doubts are loosehead Jeremy Loughman and centre Fergal Cleary.

“I said it to the fitness guys the other day: we’re going in to the third round of the Six Nations with almost a full bill of health and that’s a credit to them,” said Fogarty. “And not just them, but the strength and conditioning staff around the four provinces.

“These guys play a lot of rugby now at this age so it’s brilliant. Even having two or three more injured at this stage could make a huge difference, but we’re very lucky with the strength in depth we have now.”

Former Leinster hooker Carolan picked out Connacht forwards Cian Romain and Conan O’Donnell, who put in big shifts off the bench against France, by way of emphasising that point, although England will necessitate greater efforts again.

“I watched the Wales game and Wales defended very well. England had three players sin-binned and I’m sure they would have been thinking that it could have been different if they had kept their discipline a bit better.”