'It’s a huge honour': 'Work-horse' Alex Kendellen to lead Ireland at U20 Six Nations

New Ireland U20 skipper, Alex Kendellen 

Munster back row Alex Kendellen will captain Ireland later this month at the 2021 U20 Six Nations Championship in Wales Head coach Richie Murphy today named a 34-man Ireland squad for his debut campaign at the helm, recalling six players who featured in the 2020 championship which was cut short due to the Covid-19 pandemic when the Irish were unbeaten after three rounds. 

This year’s tournament, delayed from March due to Covid travel restrictions, will take place entirely in Cardiff with all of Ireland’s games being played at the Arms Park, kicking off against Scotland on Saturday, June 19.

Kendellen’s appointment comes after the Munster academy man from Cork made his senior debut off the bench in a PRO14 game at home to Scarlets in March. The six players involved in last year’s U20 championship are Alex Soroka and Tim Corkery, who both recently made their senior Leinster debuts, another Leinster man Ben Murphy, Ulster duo Conor McKee and Ben Moxham, and Connacht's Cathal Forde.

"It’s a huge honour," the Presentation Brothers Cork graduate said of captaining his country.

"Not just for myself but for my family and support network, my friends, my coaches at Munster, the school, it’s a huge honour for them as well. I'm dying to get over and start playing.

"I’m here to lead on the pitch, my actions speak a lot more than my words, I think.

Kendellen described himself as "a work-horse", and singled out the retiring Billy Holland as somebody who has helped him as he starts his professional career with Munster.

Head coach Murphy, whose assistant coaches are Denis Leamy and Colm Tucker, will have to manage an intense schedule with a game every six days for the first four rounds but the Ireland senior skills and kicking coach has seen the benefits of an extended camp with his players at the IRFU High-Performance Centre in Abbottstown.

"We have been working hard for a number of weeks and it's an exciting time for these young players, who have the honour of representing the wider group in Cardiff,” Murphy said. "It has been a challenging year but the players have come in, worked hard and bonded well, and I have been impressed by their work-rate, commitment and application. Now our focus turns to performance and Saturday's opening game against Scotland, which we know will be a big challenge first up."

IRELAND Squad for 2021 U20 Six Nations: 

Forwards: G Saunderson (Queen's/Ulster), J Boyle (St Michael's College/Leinster), T A Lasisi (CBS Enniscorthy/Leinster), M Donnelly (CBC Cork/Munster), E de Buitléar (Scoil Chuimsitheach Chiáran/Connacht), L Barron (St Michael's College/Leinster), R Loughnane (Cistercian College Roscrea/Leinster), S Illo (Wesley College/Leinster), D Murray (Colaiste Chiaran/Connacht), H Sheridan (Sullivan Upper/Ulster), M Morrisey (Blackrock College/Leinster), A Soroka (Belvedere College/Leinster), O McCormack (Garbally College/Connacht), A Kendellen (PBC Cork/Munster) - Captain; R Crothers (Wallace HS/Ulster), D Byrne (Summerhill College/Connacht), J Kelleher (PBC Cork/Munster), D Okeke (Ard Scoil Ris/Munster), L Bishop (Trent College/IQ Rugby)

Backs: C McKee (Sullivan Upper/Ulster), N Doak (Wallace HS/Ulster), B Murphy (Pres Bray/Leinster), T Corkery (Kilkenny College/Leinster), J Humphreys (Dean Close School/Ulster), C Forde (Colaiste Iognaid/Connacht), B Carson (Wallace HS/Ulster), S Jennings (Garbally College/Connacht), B Moxham (Larne HS/Ulster), C Rankin (Campbell College/Ulster), C Mullins (SGC Filton/Bristol Bears), J O'Connor (St Peter's College/Leinster), J Osborne (Naas CBS/Leinster), C Cosgrave (St Michael's College/Leinster), J Postlethwaite (RBAI/Banbridge/Ulster).