2025 World Rugby U20 Championship

[irisht]

IRELAND UNDER-18 SCHOOLS TEAM & REPLACEMENTS (v South Africa Under-18s, 2025 Under-18 Men's International Series – Round 2, Hoër Landbouskool Boland, Paarl, South Africa, Tuesday, August 12, kick-off 1.30pm local time/12.30pm Irish time):

15. Fionn Rowsome (Crescent College Comprehensive/Munster Rugby)
14. Geoff O'Sullivan (Terenure College/Leinster Rugby)
13. Tom Bell (Ards RFC/Regent House School/Ulster Rugby)
12. Bernard White (Blackrock College/Leinster Rugby)
11. James Browne (Blackrock College/Leinster Rugby)
10. Charlie O'Connor (RBAI/Ulster Rugby) - u17
9. Connor McVicker (Belfast Royal Academy/Ulster Rugby)
1. Ben Guerin (Blackrock College/Leinster Rugby)
2. Lee Fitzpatrick (Newbridge College/Leinster Rugby)
3. Harry Goslin (Belvedere College/Leinster Rugby) (capt)
4. Jonathon Ginnety (Castleknock College/Leinster Rugby)
5. Frank Maher (Terenure College/Leinster Rugby) - u17
6. Geoff Wall (Blackrock College/Leinster Rugby)
7. Alex Lautsou (Castletroy College/Munster Rugby)
8. Adam Boyd (RBAI/Ulster Rugby)

Replacements:

16. Joe Christle (St. Mary's College/Leinster Rugby)
17. James Gould (Wallace High School/Ulster Rugby)
18. Jamie Bohan (Newbridge College/Leinster Rugby)
19. Jamie Walsh (Cistercian College Roscrea/Munster Rugby)
20. Cian Butler (Portlaoise RFC/St. Mary's CBS Portlaoise/Leinster Rugby)
21. Jon Rodgers (Wallace High School/Ulster Rugby)
22. Luke Coffey (Blackrock College/Leinster Rugby)
23. Paul Neary (St. Michael's College/Leinster Rugby)
24. Andrew Henson (Buccaneers RFC/Marist College/Connacht Rugby)
25. Harry Waters (Ratoath College/Navan RFC/Leinster Rugby)
26. Daniel O'Connell (Ardscoil Rís/Munster Rugby)

 

[Which Tyler]

England U18 Men's squad to face France

1 Aiden Reid (Northampton)
2 Marcus Southwell (Leicester)
3 Seva Batikora (Leicester)
4 Freddie Jones (Saracens)
5 Henry Laidlow (c) (Harlequins)
6 Henry Horsfall (Gloucester)
7 AJ Henry (Saracens)
8 Jordan Ikeh (Sale)

09 Will Bayston (Sale)
10 Oscar Talbot (Leicester)
11 Charlie Tamani (Northampton)
12 Ollie Batson (Exeter)
13 Krystof Wood (Gloucester)
14 Will Payton (Leicester)
15 Ajay Edwards (Newcastle)

16 Casper Wheeler (Bristol)
17 Oliver Spencer (Sale)
18 Lawrence Ogbonnaya (Sale)
19 Kwame Bekoe (Leicester)
20 Charlie Bray (Sale)
21 Jack Lewis (Northampton)
22 James Townsend (Leicester)
23 Hugh Shields (Northampton)
24 Declan Treacey (Bath)
25 Sonny Goode (Northampton)
26 Junior Denny (Gloucester)

 

[saulan]

I know they rotated the team, but the SA U18 team against Ireland look too greedy rather than playing as a team. No one is really standing out, but I’m guessing these are the second choice players in the position. Positive is they are keeping Ireland consistently camped in their 22. Hopefully they can improve when the subs come on.

 

[saulan]

Better in the second half. 45-5 final score. SA A also had a good result beating Georgia 57-19.

 

[irisht]

better side but certainly helped by a shocking referee performance.

 

[Which Tyler]

Terrible defence for the first french try.
Simple cut-back move for 13, finds a disconnect in the line

 

[Which Tyler]

Really weird call on 10 minutes.
France try to chip over the top, England try to charge it down - succeed, and get blown for a knock on.
Ball is still gaining altitude when it hits his hands

 

[Which Tyler]

2nd French try is very good.
Poor kick by England (too deep, too shallow) off slow ball, but certainly not in a way that helped make the try

 

[LeinsterMan (NotTigsMan)]

Honestly I feel there needs to be serious question about the coaching staff at this level (Potentially at U20's also)

Game plan both attack and defence is short

 

[Which Tyler]

Hmmm
22 minutes, France give away 2 penalties at 2 different positions on the pitch.
Eng9 takes a quick tap and go from the 2nd location, and crosses the try line.
Ref disallows as he's forgotten that England get the choice of location, and is only interested in the first penalty.

We scored anyway off the lineout, but still.

Of course, ref is also young, and learning, and he'll be better for the feedback he receirfrom this.

 

[Which Tyler]

Honestly I feel there needs to be serious question about the coaching staff at this level (Potentially at U20's also)

Game plan both attack and defence is short

Harsh.
This is U17s [B team] playing against U18s, in their 2nd match ever as a group.

U20s... Yeah, can't disagree that we're not fulfilling potential (whilst being hamstrung by sticking with the FHs from that age group, rather than promoting Davies / Linegar - which may well be instructions from above to not just ignore Coen & Bellamy)

 

[Which Tyler]

French try #4 is a beauty.
Messy pair of charge-downs, ruck, and a stunningly placed and weighted kick to the corner with the French winger winning the foot race

 

[Which Tyler]

Eng13 - 34 Fra
HT
It feels we've started our weaker options,whilst France have started their stronger (but not weakest v strongest), but momentum has been all one-way.

I'm pretty sure O'Shea is setting the U18s up to learn to play together in adversity, in order to come through strong in the 6N, but this is a big ask for today.
Needs good half time chat to get heads back up, and some individuals to put in a rallying performance.

 

[Which Tyler]

Wait.
England's charge down for the French 4th (see above) looks like a drop goal attempt!
WTAF?
From halfway, off a charged down French kick and with Frenchmen in his face?

Talk about brainless

 

[Which Tyler]

Needs good half time chat to get heads back up, and some individuals to put in a rallying performance.

Treacey's trying, but he's not really bringing others along with him to increase intensity. Scores a try on a simple crash-ball.
Captaincy issue? Or had heads already dropped too much?

And as I type, France strike straight back

 

[Which Tyler]

Unnecessary by Eng 20, but no excuse for Fra 23

Surprised the pen isn't reversed. Running in and punching someone in the face seems significantly worse than an unnecessary shove.
Especially given that France were already on a warning (not sure if same player)

 

[Which Tyler]

French try for 46 points is deserved, if only for the really **** dive by Eng25 trying to kid a push to the back, rather than securing the damned ball