6 Nations
‘We’re Good To Go’ – McNabney On Ireland U-20s’ Showdown With Australia
James McNabney is one of the most experienced players in Richie Murphy’s Ireland Under-20 squad. He was part of both the 2022 and 2023 Grand Slam-winning sides, alongside fellow forwards Conor O’Tighearnaigh and Diarmuid Mangan.
There have been a few quality Ulster backrows come up through the Irish U20s system in recent years, McNabney is the latest to join that list behind the likes of 2022 Grand Slam winning captain Reuben Crothers and current Ulster players, Harry Sheridan, and David McCann.
McNabney said Crothers has been a great help to him, saying: “Reuben has been a big inspiration to me, he was the captain of the U20s last year. He’s a fellow friend at Ulster, me and him are in the academy together, we train hard together. He has helped me along the way.
“I would say I’m probably more mature and better than I was last year, or I liked to hope so. He’s definitely helped me along the way, as well as Willie Faloon as a coach”, said the Ulster academy player.
He is a past pupil of Cambridge House in Ballymena. The 20-year-old said the school has helped shape him into the man he is today, and he takes a lot of pride in representing his hometown of Ballymena.
“It’s a great honour to represent the school, the school has done everything for me and got me probably to where I’m at today, shaped me into the person that I am.
“I had the same coach at school as I did at the club, he has been great for me. Ballymena is my home club and it was always an honour to play for them. They’ve done a lot for me and I’m very grateful for that”, told the proud Ballymena native
McNabney switches back to the number six jersey for tomorrow morning’s game vs Australia. The versatile backrow player scored a try in the 34-34 draw with England. He admits it was a tough game and they need to win tomorrow if they are going to make that semi-final.
“It was a tough game. The forwards had to work hard throughout the game, we could’ve won, we could’ve lost, but we were just happy to come away with the three points.
“Originally, we started out saying we had to win all games and that slightly changed, there is slightly more pressure added to this week against Australia, I think we can definitely do it and we need to get the win if we’re planning to get top four,” explained the back-to-back U20s Grand Slam winner.
Tomorrow’s game has huge implications for their future in the rest of the tournament, it’s arguably the biggest game yet for this particular group. The young player is aware of the magnitude of the challenge ahead, but he believes every game they’ve played so far at this level has carried a level of importance.
“This is probably one of the biggest games of the year for us because it’s do or die, as Mark said, if we lose this one, we probably won’t get top four, but also on the other hand, every game is a big game for us, and if you don’t win every game, you’re as good as your last game, so we try and win them all”, said McNabney.
The U20s World Cup provides the perfect platform for young players to test themselves against some of the brightest young talents on the other side of the world. McNabney got a taste for southern hemisphere opposition before when he played against South Africa in the Summer series last year, but for many in the squad, it’ll be their first time squaring up to a team like the Junior Wallabies.
“We know they have threats all over the park. They are a southern hemisphere team, a lot of the lads haven’t really played against, I only played against South Africa last summer, that was the first exposure I had to it.
They are very physical, they like to run with the ball, they’re good in open space, we got to take that away from them at the start.
The condition of the pitch at Paarl Gimnasium remains a big talking point heading into tomorrow morning’s game. The hard surface makes it difficult to play an expansive brand of rugby, being a true forward, he admited the conditions have actually suited him personally.
“The pitch is heavy. There is not much we can do about it, both teams are in the same circumstances and we just have to get on with it. At the end of the game, we were definitely very tired as a pack, the legs were drained.
“But I kind of suit that pitch, I’m use to that sort of environment. The legs were sore after the game, but we’ve recovered well and we’re good to go”, admitted the old school forward.
A short format competition like this demands a lot of the players both physically and mentally. It asks questions of your fitness and the resources and strength of your overall squad
McNabney said they are ready to go again.
“It doesn’t seem long since we played, but we have a great team of physios, and we are just working hard to try and get back, doing as much as possible, getting as much sleep and recovery as possible, and the team is good to go for tomorrow”
Images & Content from Irish Rugby & Images © Inpho Photography
Munster Rugby and the IRFU are pleased to confirm contract extensions for Conor Murray and Jack Daly with Brian Gleeson to be promoted from the Academy to the senior squad next season.
Murray and Daly have signed one-year extensions with Gleeson moving up to the senior squad on a two-year deal.
Gleeson is one of five Academy players moving up to the senior squad next year with Tony Butler, Ethan Coughlan, Mark Donnelly and Edwin Edogbo also signing two-year deals.
Conor Murray is one of the most decorated scrum-halfs in world rugby with 116 Ireland caps and three British & Irish Lions tours to his name.
A former St Munchin’s College student, the Garryowen man won his fifth 6 Nations title with Ireland last month and earned his second league title with Munster last season.
The 34-year-old has made 185 Munster appearances and scored 34 tries for the province to date and was named on World Rugby’s Team of the Decade in 2019.
25-year-old flanker Jack Daly came up through the ranks at Castleisland RFC and made his Munster debut against Zebre in 2020.
Daly joined the Academy in 2018, moved up to the senior squad in 2021 and plays his AIL rugby with Garryowen. A former Ireland U20 international, he made his Champions Cup debut against Toulouse in the quarter-final at the Aviva Stadium in 2022.
Try-scoring number 8 Brian Gleeson leads the charge for the Ireland Under-20s against France ©INPHO/Evan Treacy
20-year-old Gleeson moves up to the senior squad after just one year in the Academy that has seen him score one try in nine senior appearances.
Currently out of action with an ankle injury, he had already made three Champions Cup appearances before turning 20.
The powerful back-row forward was a Grand Slam winner with the Ireland U20s last year. plays his AIL rugby with Garryowen and came up through the ranks at Thurles RFC and Rockwell College.
Images & Content from Irish Rugby & Images © Inpho Photography
Head Coach Andy Farrell has named his Ireland Match Day Squad for Saturday’s Guinness Men’s Six Nations clash against Scotland at Aviva Stadium (Kick-off 4.45pm).
Ireland – currently sitting top of the Six Nations table heading into Super Saturday – can clinch back-to-back Championship titles with victory over Scotland in Dublin.
Farrell has named an unchanged starting XV for the Round 5 clash, as Hugo Keenan, Calvin Nash and James Lowe continue in the Ireland back three. Robbie Henshaw and Bundee Aki are once again selected in midfield, with Jack Crowley and Jamison Gibson-Park the starting half-backs.
Andrew Porter, Dan Sheehan and Tadhg Furlong pack down in the front row, with Joe McCarthy partnering Tadhg Beirne – who is set to win his 50th Test cap for Ireland – in the engine room.
Captain Peter O’Mahony is at blindside flanker, Josh van der Flier is at openside and Caelan Doris completes the starting XV at number eight.
The Ireland Coaching Team have opted for a 5-3 split on the bench, with Rónan Kelleher, Cian Healy, Finlay Bealham, Ryan Baird and Jack Conan providing the reinforcements up front, and Conor Murray, Harry Byrne and the fit-again Garry Ringrose the backline options.
Saturday’s match is live on Virgin Media One and ITV, with live radio coverage available on RTE Radio 1.
Ireland Team & Replacements (v Scotland, Guinness Men’s Six Nations, Saturday, March 16, 4.45pm)
15. Hugo Keenan (UCD/Leinster)(39)
14. Calvin Nash (Young Munster/Munster)(5)
13. Robbie Henshaw (Buccaneers/Leinster)(71)
12. Bundee Aki (Galwegians/Connacht)(55)
11. James Lowe (Leinster)(30)
10. Jack Crowley (Cork Constitution/Munster)(13)
9. Jamison Gibson-Park (Leinster)(34)
1. Andrew Porter (UCD/Leinster)(63)
2. Dan Sheehan (Lansdowne/Leinster)(25)
3. Tadhg Furlong (Clontarf/Leinster)(75)
4. Joe McCarthy (Dublin University/Leinster)(9)
5. Tadhg Beirne (Lansdowne/Munster)(49)
6. Peter O’Mahony (Cork Constitution/Munster)(captain)(104)
7. Josh van der Flier (UCD/Leinster)(61)
8. Caelan Doris (St Mary’s College/Leinster)(40)
Replacements:
16. Rónan Kelleher (Lansdowne/Leinster)(30)
17. Cian Healy (Clontarf/Leinster)(128)
18. Finlay Bealham (Buccaneers/Connacht)(39)
19. Ryan Baird (Dublin University/Leinster)(19)
20. Jack Conan (Old Belvedere/Leinster)(45)
21. Conor Murray (Garryowen/Munster)(115)
22. Harry Byrne (UCD/Leinster)(3)
23. Garry Ringrose (UCD/Leinster)(57).
Images & Content from Irish Rugby & Images © Inpho Photography
Head Coach Andy Farrell has named his Ireland Match Day Squad for Saturday’s Guinness Men’s Six Nations clash against England at Twickenham (Kick-off 4.45pm).
Peter O’Mahony captains Ireland for the Round 4 visit to London, with Hugo Keenan returning to the starting XV after recovering from injury.
Keenan joins Calvin Nash and James Lowe in the Ireland back three, with Bundee Aki and Robbie Henshaw continuing their midfield partnership.
Jack Crowley and Jamison Gibson-Park are retained as the half-back pairing.
In the pack, Andrew Porter, Dan Sheehan and Tadhg Furlong are in the front row, with Joe McCarthy and Tadhg Beirne named in the engine room. Captain O’Mahony is at blindside flanker, Josh van der Flier is at openside and Caelan Doris completes the starting XV at number eight.
The Ireland Coaching Team have selected a 6-2 split on the bench, as Ronan Kelleher, Cian Healy, Finlay Bealham, Iain Henderson, Ryan Baird and Jack Conan provide the reinforcements in the pack.
Backs Conor Murray and Ciaran Frawley complete Ireland’s Match Day 23 to face England.
Saturday’s match is live on RTÉ2 and ITV.
Ireland:
15. Hugo Keenan (UCD/Leinster)(38)
14. Calvin Nash (Young Munster/Munster)(4)
13. Robbie Henshaw (Buccaneers/Leinster)(70)
12. Bundee Aki (Galwegians/Connacht)(54)
11. James Lowe (Leinster)(29)
10. Jack Crowley (Cork Constitution/Munster)(12)
9. Jamison Gibson-Park (Leinster)(33)
1. Andrew Porter (UCD/Leinster)(62)
2. Dan Sheehan (Lansdowne/Leinster)(24)
3. Tadhg Furlong (Clontarf/Leinster)(74)
4. Joe McCarthy (Dublin University/Leinster)(8)
5. Tadhg Beirne (Lansdowne/Munster)(48)
6. Peter O’Mahony (Cork Constitution/Munster)(captain)(103)
7. Josh van der Flier (UCD/Leinster)(60)
8. Caelan Doris (St Mary’s College/Leinster)(39)
Replacements:
16. Ronan Kelleher (Lansdowne/Leinster)(29)
17. Cian Healy (Clontarf/Leinster)(127)
18. Finlay Bealham (Buccaneers/Connacht)(38)
19. Iain Henderson (Academy/Ulster)(80)
20. Ryan Baird (Dublin University/Leinster)(18)
21. Jack Conan (Old Belvedere/Leinster)(44)
22. Conor Murray (Garryowen/Munster)(114)
23. Ciaran Frawley (UCD/Leinster)(3)
Images & Content from Irish Rugby & Images © Inpho Photography
Munster Rugby Announce Contract Deals For Murray, Daly & Gleeson
Squad Update | Munster Prepare For Cardiff At Thomond
