Dundon believes Ireland will draw on Grand Slam win in World Championship final
2023 World Rugby Under 20 Championships, Athlone Sports Stadium, Cape Town, South Africa 9/7/2023
Ireland’s bid for a historic first Under-20 World Championship title will be boosted by the experience of winning a Six Nations Grand Slam earlier this season, scrum coach Aaron Dundon believes.
The Irish have shown tremendous resilience to even reach Friday’s final in Cape Town, having had to deal with the tragic losses of two Leaving Cert students on holiday in Ios that were known to several members of the squad and then the father of scrum-half Jack Oliver, Munster coach Greig Oliver, who was killed in a paragliding accident in the South African city last week.
Richie Murphy’s squad topped their pool and then beat tournament hosts South Africa 31-12 in the semi-finals last Sunday to set up this Friday evening’s decider against France at Athlone Stadium and scrum coach and former Leinster hooker Dundon believes the Irish players are now final-ready for their attempt to be the first Ireland U20 side to win a World Championship.
"It's been really enjoyable this week actually after last week,” Dundon said on Thursday. “The players have bonded even more I suppose after the last couple of weeks. They've brought a really good energy this week.
“I suppose making it to the final brings that energy itself and as coaches we've kind of just had to sit back and watch it evolve so it's been a credit to the players and all of the backroom staff who have kept the boys focussed on what's ahead.”
The Irish management have paid particular reference to their successful Six Nations campaign in February and March, when they edged past France in round two and then secured a second successive Grand Slam for Murphy by rising to the occasion and closing out the final game against England on home ground in Cork last March 19.
"That's going to be a big help,” Dundon added. “That England game, the last game of the Six Nations, was kind of a like a final for us. If we didn't win it, that was it. We wouldn't have won the Grand Slam or the Six Nations.
“Being final-ready in that game is definitely going to help the boys for tomorrow because we're a bit more prepared and we know the pressures that are involved. It's going to be a big help for the boys."
As for the February win over Friday’s opponents, when a 77th-minute Sam Prendergast penalty sealed a 33-31 win, also at Musgrave Park, Dundon recalled: "I suppose the last time we played them we got ahead quite quickly in the first half and were able to put a few points on the board. We probably left a bit out there as well.
“One thing we'll probably take away from it is that we can't let the game get too loose. The French like that, especially at Musgrave, during the Six Nations, they came back in that second half and started putting us under a lot of pressure when we didn't look after the ball and kind of played into their hands a bit.
"So sticking to our systems and the way we want to play, making sure we look after the ball when we have it, making sure it doesn't go loose and play into their hands.”
Dundon acknowledged the high levels of support the Ireland squad is getting back home, including video messages from fellow Grand Slam winners, the senior men’s team currently preparing for their own World Cup campaign in France starting on September 9.
"There's definitely a lot of support back home but we've been pretty impressed with the amount of support we have here as well. A lot of the parents have come over for many of the weeks and a good few of the South Africans are really getting behind us which is class as well.
"We got a couple of messages this morning from Iain Henderson and Peter O'Mahony, they put a video together which was class. Obviously, there was a of messages up on the Irish Rugby Twitter the other day of a few boys sending their best wishes as well.
“We got shown them this morning which was brilliant and will help drive us a bit more. We've been really thriving on the support, it's been awesome.”
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