McNamara plans for future with new-look U20 squad

Noel McNamara says welcoming England to Cork for the U20 Six Nations opener is a dream fixture.

The Ireland U20 head coach yesterday named a 40-man squad to play in this year’s tournament, with Ireland hoping to break into the top two for the first time since they won the title in 2010. They’ll face England and France – the finalist in last year’s U20 World Championship in Musgrave Park – before trips to Italy, Wales and Scotland.

Just five of the 40 were capped at U20 level before, and McNamara is excited to see how his new-look side go against one of the favourites on February 1.

“I don’t know if there’s ever a good time to play a good side, throughout the course of the championship, cohesion will obviously improve for teams, but I certainly couldn’t pick a game I’d love to have more in that first game,” he said. “It’s a great challenge, they’ve got a great history at U20 level. They’ve been world champions and won the Six Nations, but equally, we’ve turned them over a couple of times in that period.

“It’s a great way for us to start our campaign, to start off in a new home and if we can get a big crowd there and get on the front of that wave, I think it will be pretty exciting for us.”

McNamara would love to lift the trophy for the first time since 2010 – when Andrew Conway, John Cooney, Tiernan O’Halloran, Nevin Spence, Simon Zebo, Denis Buckley, Jordi Murphy, David O’Callaghan and Rhys Ruddock were among those who led Ireland to victory.

But McNamara says his job is about more than just winning this year.

“We are a pathway team, we want to develop players, I quoted John Wooden last year and I will quote him again: “You can only judge the value of a season in 20 years’ time,” he said.

“If we look back in 20 years’ time and we look at a number of players playing for the Irish senior team, playing for their provinces, then we’re being successful there. Unfortunately sometimes that doesn’t always work out through injury and a variety of other reasons. But if we see good people as well, then we will certainly be happy.”

IRELAND U20 SQUAD:

Backs: Harry Byrne (Lansdowne FC/Leinster), Craig Casey (Shannon RFC/Munster), Vice-Captain Jake Flannery (Shannon RFC/Munster), Sean French (Cork Constitution RFC/Munster), Cormac Foley (St. Mary’s College RFC/Leinster), David Hawkshaw (Clontarf FC/Old Belvedere), Ben Healy (Garryowen RFC/Munster), Bruce Houston (Ballymena RFC/Ulster), Iwan Hughes (Ballynahinch RFC/Ulster), Angus Kernohan (Queen’s University RFC / Ulster), James McCarthy (UL Bohemian RFC/Munster), Stewart Moore (Malone RFC/Ulster), Oli Morris (Saracens / IQ Rugby) Aaron O’Sullivan (UCD RFC/Leinster/IQ Rugby), Conor Phillips (Young Munster RFC/Munster), Colm Reilly (Buccaneers RFC/Connacht), Rob Russell (Dublin University FC/Leinster), Liam Turner (Dublin University FC/Leinster), Jonathan Wren (Cork Constitution FC/Munster).

Forwards:

Azur Allison (Ballymena RFC/Ulster), Ryan Baird (Dublin University FC/Leinster), Tom Clarkson (Dublin University FC/Leinster), Giuseppe Coyne (Dublin University FC/Leinster), Brian Deeney (Clontarf FC/Leinster), John Hodnett (UCC RFC/Munster), Paddy Kelly (Young Munster RFC/Munster), Ryan Lomas (Galwegians RFC/Connacht), Luke Masters (Shannon RFC/Munster), David McCann (Banbridge RFC/Ulster), JJ McKee (Ballymena RFC/Ulster), John McKee (Old Belvedere RFC/Leinster), Michael Milne (UCD RFC/Leinster), Martin Moloney (Old Belvedere RFC/Leinster), Niall Murray (Buccaneers RFC/Connacht), Scott Penny (UCD RFC/Leinster), Charlie Ryan (UCD RFC/Leinster), Billy Scannell (Young Munster RFC/Munster), Dylan Tierney-Martin (Corinthians RFC/Connacht), Ronan Watters (St Mary’s College RFC/Leinster), Josh Wycherley (Young Munster RFC/Munster).