Sami Bishti to captain Ireland U20s as Andrew Browne names 29-man squad
TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Sami Bishti (pictured left) has been named captain of the Ireland U20s for the upcoming Six Nations campaign. Picture: ©INPHO/Bryan Keane
Ireland U20 Head Coach Andrew Browne has named his squad for the upcoming Men's U20 Six Nations.
Leinster tighthead prop Sami Bishti has been named captain for the 2026 Championship which gets underway against France in Perpignan on Saturday February 7 (8pm Irish time).
Browne has selected a panel of 29 with four players returning from last year's Six Nations campaign and World Rugby U20 Championship. Donnacha McGuire, Tom Wood, Charlie Molony and Derry Moloney all return for a second year at the age-grade.
The squad have been building towards the Six Nations through a series of camps at the IRFU High Performance Centre with uncapped challenge matches against South Africa and Italy either side of Christmas.
Speaking on the team announement Browne said “we have been working hard together as an extended squad for a number of months and it’s an exciting time for these young players, who have the honour of representing the wider group in the Six Nations.
“We, as coaches, have pushed the players over the last number of months and I have been impressed by their work-rate, commitment, and application. Now our focus turns to performance and the opening game against France, which we know will be a big challenge first up.
“We are looking forward to the opportunities over the coming weeks and are excited by the prospect of an Ireland U20s team returning to Six Nations action at Virgin Media Park in Cork, where we always have huge support.”
After their opener away to France, Ireland return to Cork as they welcome Italy to Virgin Media Park on Friday February 13 (7.45pm). They then travel to Bath to take on England on Friday February 20 (7.45pm) before back-to-back home games in Virgin Media Park in Cork against Wales on Saturday March 7 (7.45pm) and final game against Scotland on Sunday March 15 (3.15pm).
Ireland Men’s U20s Squad
Tyrese Abolarin (Queen’s University/Ulster), Sami Bishti (UCD/Leinster)(captain), Ben Blaney (Terenure/Leinster), Jonathan Byrne (Garryowen/Munster), Max Doyle (UCD/Leinster), Joe Finn (Garryowen/Munster), Christian Foley (Young Munster/Munster), Rian Handley (Old Wesley/Leinster), Bill Hayes (Garryowen/Munster), Alex Lautsou (Shannon/Munster), Duinn Maguire (UCD/Leinster), Blake McClean (Instonians/Ulster), Donnacha McGuire (UCD/Leinster), Dylan McNeice (UCD/Leinster), Josh Neill (Old Wesley/Leinster), Diarmaid O’Connell (Corinthians/Connacht), Sean Walsh (MU Barnhall/Leinster).
Christopher Barrett (UCC/Munster), Ethan Black (Old Wesley/Leinster), Noah Byrne (Dublin University/Leinster), Luke Fogarty (MU Barnhall/Leinster), Derry Moloney (Blackrock College/Leinster), Charlie Molony (UCD/Leinster), James O’Dwyer (Old Belvedere/Leinster), Charlie O’Shea (UCC/Munster), Johnny O’Sullivan (Dublin University/Leinster), Daniel Ryan (Corinthians/Connacht), Harry Waters (Blackrock College/Leinster), Tom Wood (Garryowen/Munster).
Saturday, 7 February: France v Ireland, Stade Aime Giral, 8pm (Irish time)
Friday, 13 February: Ireland v Italy, Virgin Media Park, 7.45pm
Friday, 20 February: England v Ireland, The Rec, 7.45pm
Saturday, 7 March: Ireland v Wales, Virgin Media Park, 7.45pm
Sunday, 15 March: Ireland v Scotland, Virgin Media Park, 3.15pm.
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