Ireland U18 Schools Win European Championship

The Ireland U18 Schools were crowned FIRA-AER European Champions last Saturday in Tarbes, France, with four Munster players featuring on the squad.

Ireland’s 17-8 victory over England avenged their qualifier loss to the same side at Donnybrook back in December giving them their first ever championship title.

Presentation Brothers College captain and Ireland No 8 Ryan Murphy was instrumental in the win, who in the first half looked to have stretched over for Ireland’s first try that unfortunately was ruled just short by referee Arnaud Blondel.

Cork players Cian O’Halloran from Christian Brothers College and Rory Scannell, Presentation Brothers College featured in the second half with Seamus Glynn, Presentation Brothers College remaining on the bench.

Ireland U-18 Schools:

Rory Scholes (Campbell College); Conor McEllin (Blackrock College), Robert Henshaw (Marist College, Athlone), Chris Farrell (Campbell College), Mark Roche (Blackrock College); Stuart Olding (Belfast Royal Academy), Luke McGrath (St. Michael's College) (capt); Gordon Frayne (Clongowes Wood College), Bryan Byrne (Clongowes Wood College), Edward Byrne (Clongowes Wood College), Jerry Sexton (St. Mary's College), Gavin Thornbury (Blackrock College), Donagh Lawler (St. Michael's College), Dan Leavy (St. Michael's College), Ryan Murphy (Presentation Brothers College, Cork).

Replacements: Luke Satchwell (The King's Hospital) for Sexton (16 mins), Jack Fitzpatrick (Gonzaga College) for Scholes (18-28, blood sub), Jack O'Neill (Castleknock College) for Thornbury (41), Chris Taylor (Wallace High School) for Frayne (47), Jack Fitzpatrick (Gonzaga College) for Scholes (55), Cian O'Halloran (Christian Brothers College, Cork) for Roche, Rory Scannell (Presentation Brothers College, Cork) for Olding, David Shanahan (Belvedere College) for McGrath (all 69). Not used: Andrew Murphy (St. Michael's College), Thomas Ferrari (Sligo Grammar School), Mark Best (Campbell College), Seamus Glynn (Presentation Brothers College, Cork).

England U18s:

Jack Nowell (Truro College/Exeter Chiefs); Anthony Watson (St. George's College/London Irish), Mark Jennings (Myerscough College/Sale Sharks), Sam Hill (Ivybridge College/Exeter Chiefs), Jack Arnott (Ivybridge College/Exeter Chiefs); Henry Slade (Plymouth College/Exeter Chiefs), Alex Day (St. Joseph's College/Northampton Saints); Alec Hepburn (Henley College/London Wasps), Nathan Morris (Sedbergh School/London Wasps), Danny Herriott (Moulton College/Northampton Saints), Tom Jubb (Oaklands College/Saracens), Dominic Barrow (Prince Henry's Grammar School/Leeds Carnegie) (capt), David Sisi (St. Paul's Catholic College/London Irish). Matt Hankin (Haileybury College/Saracens), Jack Clifford (RGS Guildford/Harlequins).

Replacements: Max Crumpton (Oaklands College/Saracens), Tom Smallbone (Harrow School/London Irish), Scott Spurling (Harrow School/Saracens), Joe Robinson (Sedbergh School/Newcastle Falcons), Joe Buckle (Bryanston/Bath), James Lightfoot-Brown (St. Paul's Catholic College/London Irish), Will Hooley (The Leys School/Northampton Saints), Marcus Webber (Manchester Grammar/Leeds Carnegie), Tom Stephenson (Moulton College/Northampton Saints).

Referee: Arnaud Blondel (France)