Ireland national under-20 rugby union team

Ireland U-20

Union	Irish Rugby Football Union
Emblem(s)	Shamrock
Ground(s)	Musgrave Park (Capacity: 8,008)
Coach(es)	Neil Doak
Captain(s)	Éanna McCarthy
Most caps	Dominic Ryan (20) Iain Henderson (20)
Top scorer	Sam Prendergast (142)
Most tries	Andrew Conway (14)
Team kit Change kit
First international
Ireland 17–15 Wales (2 February 2007)
Largest win
Scotland 7–82 Ireland (10 March 2023) [1]
Largest defeat
New Zealand 69–3 Ireland (8 June 2017)
World Cup
Appearances	13 (First in 2008)
Best result	2nd, 2016, 2023

The Ireland national under-20 rugby team was formed in 2006, having previously been known as the under-21 team.

History

Ireland have won the Grand Slam four times and the Six Nations Championship five times: 2007, 2010, 2019, 2022 and 2023. In the pandemic-truncated competition in 2020, Ireland won the Triple Crown. At the time the competition was halted, Ireland were undefeated and led the table. However, this was not considered a championship nor a grand slam. ^{[2] [3] [4]} Ireland won two consecutive Grand Slams in the 2022 and 2023 Six Nations championships, but were denied a third consecutive Grand Slam and championship title following a draw away to England. ^[5] Despite Ireland and England having both recorded four wins and a draw, England were crowned champions as they had earned one more try bonus point than Ireland. ^[5]

Players

Current squad

Head coach Neil Doak named his 31–man squad for the 2025 U20 Six Nations on 14 January. ^[6]

Name	Date of Birth	Position	Club	Province
Billy Bohan	22 November 2005	Prop	Corinthians	Connacht
Alex Usanov	10 July 2005	Prop	Clontarf	Leinster
Alex Mullan	13 February 2005	Prop	Blackrock College	Leinster
Tom McAllister		Prop	Ballynahinch	Ulster
Aaron O’Brien	24 August 2005	Prop	St. Mary's	Leinster
Adam Watchorn	5 August 2005	Prop	Old Wesley	Leinster
Mikey Yarr	17 June 2005	Hooker	UCD	Leinster
Connor Magee	11 June 2006	Hooker	Banbridge	Ulster
Henry Walker	24 June 2005	Hooker	Queen's University	Ulster
Billy Corrigan	25 June 2005	Lock	Old Wesley	Leinster
Alan Spicer	4 May 2005	Lock	UCD	Leinster
Mahon Ronan	4 October 2005	Lock	Old Wesley	Leinster
Michael Foy	23 November 2005	Lock	UCC	Munster
Conor Kennelly		Lock	Highfield	Munster
David Walsh	23 June 2005	Lock	Terenure College	Leinster
Éanna McCarthy (c)	22 February 2005	Back-row	Galwegians	Connacht
Bobby Power	3 March 2005	Back-row	Galwegians	Connacht
Will Wootton	18 June 2005	Scrum-half	Sale Sharks	IQ Rugby
Clark Logan	11 August 2005	Scrum-half	Queen's University	Ulster
Andrew Doyle	6 November 2005	Scrum-half	Old Wesley	Leinster
Daniel Green	6 February 2006	Fly-half	Queen's University	Ulster
Dylan Hicks	25 January 2005	Fly-half	Garryowen	Munster
Sam Wisniewski	18 March 2005	Fly-half	Old Belvedere	Leinster
Connor Fahy	22 January 2005	Centre	Clontarf	Leinster
Andre Ryan	10 May 2005	Centre	Old Belvedere	Leinster
Eoghan Smyth	6 July 2005	Centre	Cork Constitution	Munster
Ciarán Mangan	17 May 2005	Wing	Blackrock College	Leinster
Derry Moloney	1 February 2006	Wing	Blackrock College	Leinster
Gene O'Leary Kareem	6 June 2005	Wing	UCC	Munster
Paidi Farrell	3 March 2005	Fullback	Old Wesley	Leinster
Charlie Molony	16 March 2005	Fullback	UCD	Leinster

Award winners

The following Ireland U20s players have been recognised at the World Rugby Awards since 2008: ^[7]

World Rugby Junior Player of the Year

Year	Nominees	Winners
2012	JJ Hanrahan	—
2014	Garry Ringrose
2016	Max Deegan	Max Deegan

Overall record

Opposition	Played	Won	Drawn	Lost	% Won	For	Aga	Diff
Argentina	5	3	0	2	60%	101	73	+28
Australia	4	2	0	2	50%	83	98	–15
England	28	10	2	16	35.71%	612	766	–154
Fiji	3	3	0	0	100%	131	30	+101
France	24	11	0	13	45.83%	484	573	–89
Georgia	4	3	0	1	75%	101	65	+36
Japan	1	1	0	0	100%	39	33	+6
Italy	23	21	1	1	91.3%	702	355	+347
New Zealand	9	1	0	8	11.11%	139	354	–215
Samoa	3	2	0	1	66.67%	92	45	+47
Scotland	27	22	0	5	81.48%	864	520	+344
South Africa	6	2	0	4	33.33%	136	193	–57
Tonga	1	1	0	0	100%	45	27	+18
Uruguay	1	1	0	0	100%	45	0	+45
Wales	25	13	1	11	52%	620	494	+126
Total	164	96	4	64	58.54%	4,194	3,626	+568

Correct as of 21 February 2025 ^[8]

Six Nations Under 20s Championship

Main article: Six Nations Under 20s Championship

Year	Pos	Played	W	D	L	PF	PA	PD	TF	TA	TD	LBP	TBP	Triple Crown	Grand Slam
2008	4th	5	2	0	3	56	90	–34	3	13	–10	N/A	N/A	No	No
2009	2nd	5	4	0	1	86	88	–2	5	9	–4	N/A	N/A	No	No
2010	1st	5	4	0	1	147	62	85	17	5	12	N/A	N/A	Yes	No
2011	4th	5	2	1	2	147	99	48	11	14	–3	N/A	N/A	No	No
2012	3rd	5	4	0	1	86	46	40	7	4	3	N/A	N/A	No	No
2013	3rd	5	2	1	2	98	83	15	13	9	4	N/A	N/A	No	No
2014	4th	5	2	0	3	74	79	–5	7	8	–1	N/A	N/A	No	No
2015	5th	5	2	0	3	120	90	30	13	10	3	N/A	N/A	No	No
2016	3rd	5	3	0	2	108	120	–18	10	12	–2	N/A	N/A	No	No
2017	4th	5	3	0	2	111	122	–11	12	13	–1	1	0	No	No
2018	3rd	5	2	0	3	145	182	–37	21	26	–5	1	3	No	No
2019	1st	5	5	0	0	150	92	58	18	12	6	0	3	Yes	Yes
2020	Cancelled	3	3	0	0	113	69	44	17	10	7	0	3	Yes	Cancelled
2021	3rd	5	3	0	2	151	100	51	20	14	6	1	3	No	No
2022	1st	5	5	0	0	210	65	145	29	9	20	0	4	Yes	Yes
2023	1st	5	5	0	0	239	116	123	32	17	15	0	4	Yes	Yes
2024	2nd	5	4	1	0	171	93	78	23	12	11	0	4	No	No

World Rugby U20 Championship

Main article: World Rugby U20 Championship

Year	Place	Pool	Played	W	D	L	PF	PA	PD	TF	TA	TD	LBP	TBP
2008	9th	A	5	3	0	2	112	127	–15	11	13	–2	0	1
2009	8th	A	5	2	0	3	81	54	27	9	3	6	0	1
2010	9th	B	5	2	0	3	154	118	36	18	9	9	2	0
2011	8th	C	5	1	0	4	120	183	–63	11	24	–13	0	0
2012	5th	B	5	4	0	1	124	70	54	13	7	6	1	1
2013	8th	B	5	2	0	3	121	86	35	14	9	5	1	1
2014	4th	B	5	2	0	3	124	127	–3	14	16	–2	1	2
2015	7th	C	5	3	0	2	74	92	–18	6	9	–3	0	0
2016	2nd	A	5	4	0	1	173	153	20	17	16	1	0	1
2017	9th	B	5	2	0	3	128	167	–39	16	25	–9	2	0
2018	11th	C	5	1	0	4	129	158	–29	16	23	–7	2	0
2019	8th	B	5	2	0	3	137	155	–18	18	20	–2	0	2
2020–2022	Not held due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
2023	2nd	B	5	3	1	1	156	133	23	23	19	4	0	3
2024	4th*	B	4*	2	0	2	121	100	21	17	12	8	0	1
*The 2024 World Rugby U20 Championship Pool B match between Ireland and Australia was cancelled due to weather conditions, rendering the pitch unplayable and unsafe. Both teams were awarded two points. [9] [10]

Honours

• Six Nations Under 20s Championship :
  • Winner (5): 2007, 2010, 2019, 2022, 2023
• Grand Slam :
  • Winner (4): 2007, 2019, 2022, 2023
• Triple Crown :
  • Winner (6): 2007, 2010, 2019, 2020, 2022, 2023
• World Rugby Under 20 Championship :
  • Runner Up (2): 2016, 2023

See also

• Ireland national rugby union team
• Ireland Wolfhounds
• Emerging Ireland
• Ireland national schoolboy rugby union team
• Six Nations Under 20s Championship
• World Rugby Under 20 Championship

References

1. "U20 Six Nations: Ireland thrash Scotland to move one step closer to Grand Slam". Irish Times. Retrieved 10 March 2023.
2. "Ireland Under-20s Complete Grand Slam Mission With Bonus Point Flourish". Irish Rugby. 15 March 2019. Retrieved 15 March 2019.
3. "Nine-try Ireland U20s crush Scotland to claim Grand Slam success". The42 . 20 March 2022. Retrieved 20 March 2022.
4. "Six-try Ireland U20s make history with back-to-back Grand Slam titles". The42 . 19 March 2023. Retrieved 19 March 2023.
5. "Six Nations U20s Championship: Ireland 36 Scotland 0". Irish Times. Retrieved 16 March 2024.
6. "Doak Names Ireland Men's U20s Squad For 2025 Six Nations". Irish Rugby . 14 January 2024. Retrieved 23 January 2025.
7. "Awards Roll of Honour - World Rugby". www.world.rugby. Retrieved 16 March 2024.
8. "Fixtures & Results". Irish Rugby. Retrieved 21 February 2025.
9. "Ireland v Australia in World U20 Championship cancelled". BBC Sport . BBC. 9 July 2024.
10. Williamson, Nathan (9 July 2024). "Australia U20s coach Grey blasts call to cancel Ireland game, ending World Championship semi-final hopes". rugby.com.au. Rugby Australia.

External links

• Ireland U-20 Squad from official IRFU site