Ireland Squad Named For World Rugby U20 Championship

The tournament, taking place in the Cape Town region, returns for the first time since 2019, running over five Match Days from 24 June to 14 July.

Murphy has retained consistency in selection from the memorable Grand Slam-winning campaign earlier this season, with 26 of the 30-player squad for South Africa having featured in the U20 Six Nations.

Forwards Ronan Foxe, Max Clein and Dan Barronand scrum-half Jack Oliver are the four uncapped players in the travelling party, with Leinster hooker Gus McCarthy named to captain the side having led Ireland to Championship glory in March.

Ireland have been paired in Pool B alongside England, Australia and Fiji, with Murphy’s side playing all three of their Pool matches at Paarl Gymnasium in the Western Cape.

Ireland open their campaign against Six Nations rivals England on Saturday, 24th June (1.30pm local time/12.30pm Irish time), before facing Australia on Match Day 2 on Thursday, 29th June (11am local time/10am Irish time) and Fiji on Match Day 3 on Tuesday, 4th July (1.30pm local time/12.30pm Irish time).

Murphy also confirmed his coaching staff for the tournament, with Mark Sexton (Backs and Attack) and Aaron Dundon (Scrum and Contact) continuing in their roles, while Andrew Browne joins as Defence and Lineout Coach as Willie Faloon is unable to travel due to personal reasons.

Ireland U20s Squad:

Forwards (17):

George Hadden (Clontarf/Leinster)
George Morris (Lansdowne/Leinster)
Gus McCarthy (UCD/Leinster)
Max Clein (Garryowen/Munster)*
Danny Sheahan (UCC/Munster)
Paddy McCarthy (Dublin University/Leinster)
Fiachna Barrett (Corinthians/Connacht)
Ronan Foxe (Old Belvedere/Leinster)*
Conor O’Tighearnaigh (UCD/Leinster)
Charlie Irvine (Queen’s University/Ulster)
Joe Hopes (Queen’s University/Ulster)
Diarmuid Mangan (UCD/Leinster)
Evan O’Connell (UL Bohemians/Munster)
James McNabney (Ballymena/Ulster)
Ruadhan Quinn (Old Crescent/Munster)
Brian Gleeson (Garryowen/Munster)
Dan Barron (Dublin University/Leinster)*

Backs (13):

Fintan Gunne (Terenure/Leinster)
Jack Oliver (Garryowen/Munster)*
Oscar Cawley (Naas/Leinster)
Sam Prendergast (Lansdowne/Leinster)
Matthew Lynch (Dublin University/Leinster)
John Devine (Corinthians/Connacht)
Hugh Cooney (Clontarf/Leinster)
Hugh Gavin (Galwegians/Connacht)
Andrew Osborne (Naas/Leinster)
Rory Telfer (Queen’s University/Ulster)
James Nicholson (UCD/Leinster)
Henry McErlean (Terenure/Leinster)
Harry West (Buccaneers/Connacht)

*Uncapped at U20s level

Ireland U20s Fixtures:

• Saturday 24th June: Ireland U20s v England U20s, Paarl Gymnasium, Paarl – 1.30pm local time/12.30pm Irish time
• Thursday 29th June: Ireland U20s v Australia U20s, Paarl Gymnasium, Paarl – 11am local time/10am Irish time
• Tuesday 4th July: Ireland U20s v Fiji U20s, Paarl Gymnasium, Paarl – 1.30pm local time/12.30pm Irish time
• Sunday 9th July: Play-off match
• Friday 14th July: Play-off match.