U20 Summer Series

[thejackal]

Starts today. All games available on the U20 six nations YouTube channel.

Pool A - England, France, Ireland, South Africa
Pool B - Georgia, Italy, Scotland, Wales

Friday 24 June
England v South Africa, 4pm BST
France v Ireland, 7pm BST

Saturday 25 June
Scotland v Wales, 4pm BST
Italy v Georgia, 7pm BST

 

[saulan]

Intrigued to see how this goes. Our junior Bok ranks haven't played anything as a group together in ages, although they have been kept competitive in tournaments such as the Varsity Cup, Currie Cup and in one or two cases, the URC. It will be a tall ask given the quality of the teams in that group, but great to get that level of international exposure for these players.

 

[LeinsterMan (NotTigsMan)]

The 2 too watch from a English POV is imo Ilione in the forwards and Finn smith in the backs

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Lame to have the games on Friday/Saturday instead of Saturday/Sunday considering there's no rugby on this weekend

We've got Tumy Onasanya starting at loosehead - don't know much about him beyond he was on "Educating Greater Manchester" on Channel 4

 

[big ginger 8]

15. Dylan O'Grady (UCD RFC/Leinster)
14. Aitzol King (Clontarf FC/Leinster)
13. Fionn Gibbons (UCD RFC/Leinster)
12. Daniel Hawkshaw (Clontarf FC/Leinster)
11. Shay McCarthy (Young Munster RFC/Munster)
10. Tony Butler (Garryowen FC/Munster)
9. Ethan Coughlan (Shannon RFC/Munster)

1. Oisin Michel (Lansdowne FC/Leinster)
2. James McCormick (Ballymena RFC/Ulster)
3. Darragh McSweeney (Shannon RFC/Munster)
4. Conor O'Tighearnaigh (UCD RFC/Leinster)
5. Adam McNamee (Malone RFC/Ulster)
6. James McNabney (Ballymena RFC/Ulster)
7. Reuben Crothers (Ballynahinch RFC/Ulster)(Captain)
8. Lorcan McLoughlin (Queen's University Belfast RFC/Ulster)

Replacements:

16. Josh Hanlon (Ballynahinch RFC/Ulster)
17. George Hadden (Gorey RFC/Clontarf FC/Leinster)
18. Kieran Ryan (Shannon RFC/Munster)
19. Charlie Irvine (Queen's University Belfast RFC/Ulster)
20. Diarmuid Mangan (UCD RFC/Leinster)
21. Michael Moloney (UCD RFC/Leinster)
22. Sam Prendergast (Lansdowne FC/Leinster)
23. George Coomber (UCC RFC/Munster)
24. Reece Malone (Loughborough University/Ballynahinch RFC/Ulster)
25. George Shaw (Cardiff University/IQ Rugby)
26. Ronan O'Sullivan (Highfield RFC/Munster).

Pity we are ravaged with injuries.

 

[TRF_stormer2010]

Wow, I know I am a bit out of touch with u20's rugby but is it just my imagination and/or ignorance or is Pool A stacked?

Junior Springbok team

15 Duran Koevort (Western Province), 14 Donovan Don (Griffons), 13 Ethan James (Western Province), 12 Carlton Banies (Bulls), 11 Suleiman Hartzenberg (Western Province), 10 Sacha Mngomezulu (captain, Western Province), 9 Nico Steyn (Bulls), 8 Cameron Hanekom (Bulls), 7 Ruan Venter (Lions), 6 Siya Ningiza (Sharks), 5 Reinhardt Ludwig (Bulls), 4 Connor Evans (Western Province), 3 Corne Weilbach (Western Province), 2 Lukhanyo Vokozela (Western Province), 1 Lamla Nunu (Western Province)

Substitutes: 16 Tiaan Lange (Bulls), 17 Juann Else (Bulls), 18 Sebastian Lombard (Bulls), 19 Corne Rahl (Sharks), 20 Louw Nel (Western Province), 21 Imad Khan (Western Province), 22 Compion von Ludwig, 23 Latica Nela (SA Rugby Sevens contracted), 24 Merwe Olivier (Bulls), 25 Paul de Villiers (Western Province), 26 Gcino Mdletshe (Bulls)

I can't say these ring any bells bar one or two. I'll try to see if I can manage to catch a game or two but the timing is tricky.

 

[Reiser99]

Wow, I know I am a bit out of touch with u20's rugby but is it just my imagination and/or ignorance or is Pool A stacked?

Definitely looks like it's based on some kind of ranking. I'd say based on the full men's team ranking. Dunno what they are using but I'd say top 4 in Pool A and bottom 4 in Pool B

 

[LeinsterMan (NotTigsMan)]

England backs getting mullered

 

[pagliaccio_euforico]

South Africa look the stronger side but making really simple mistakes at the wrong time

 

[Bruce_ma gooshvili]

Interesting to see SA being included in a NH competition. Interesting to see loads of non-Leinster plays for Ireland. Interesting to see Georgia and Italy with a chance to top their pool!

 

[TRF_Olyy]

How are the scrums?

(he asks without an ounce of sarcasm for the first time in his life)

 

[Bruce_ma gooshvili]

Scotland

Forwards
Gregor Hiddleston (Stirling County)
Patrick Harrison* (Watsonians RFC/Edinburgh Rugby)
Duncan Hood (Bath University)
James Lascelles (Gloucester Rugby/Hartpury College)
Ali Rogers (Ayrshire Bulls)
Iain Carmichael (Boroughmuir Bears)
Gregor Scougall (Watsonians RFC)
Callum Norrie (Stirling County/Strahallan School)
Max Williamson* (Stirling County/Glasgow Warriors)
Jake Spurway (Stirling County /Durham University)
Josh Taylor (Ealing Trailfinders)
Rudi Brown* (Southern Knights/Edinburgh Rugby)
Rhys Tait* (Boroughmuir Bears/Glasgow Warriors)
Tim Brown (Ayrshire Bulls)
Ollie Leatherbarrow (Exeter Chiefs)
Liam McConnell (Boroughmuir Bears)
Euan Groenewald (University of Pretoria (TUKS))
Matt Deehan (Newcastle Falcons)
Backs
Murray Redpath (Southern Knights/Newcastle University)
Finlay Burgess (Stirling County)
Ben Afshar (Southern Knights)
Christian Townsend* (Ayrshire Bulls/Glasgow Warriors)
Euan Cunningham* (Stirling County/Glasgow Warriors)
Andrew Stirrat (Ayrshire Bulls)
Ben Salmon (Stirling County)
Duncan Munn* (Boroughmuir Bears)
Thomas Glendinning (Ayrshire Bulls)
Keiran Clark (Southern Knights)
Kerr Johnston (Gala RFC)
Ryan Daley (Watsonians RFC)
Gabe Jones (Brunel University/Ealing Trailfinders)
Ross McKnight* (Stirling County/Glasgow Warriors

Nice to see a lot of Super6 players coming online. Hopefully the start of the domestic pathway becoming viable.

 

[LeinsterMan (NotTigsMan)]

Ilione packed on some muscle since last year

 

[LeinsterMan (NotTigsMan)]

Don't get why so many players that looked decent in the U20's 6N's aren't in this squad

 

[TRF_stormer2010]

Mngomezulu will have to stay a few extra hours a day kicking at the posts because 1 from 5 is not acceptable even for schools goal kickers.

 

[saulan]

Mngomezulu will have to stay a few extra hours a day kicking at the posts because 1 from 5 is not acceptable even for schools goal kickers.

Yea, was a bit odd how poor his kicking was from the tee, hopefully that can come right. In general his on field kicking game was really good and resulted in a couple of the tries, and the backline was playing Stormers style counterattacking rugby quite a bit. Just really need to sort out their defense as some of the tries felt quite soft.

 

[ChicagoKid]

Interesting to see SA being included in a NH competition. Interesting to see loads of non-Leinster plays for Ireland. Interesting to see Georgia and Italy with a chance to top their pool!

It's because the Springboks are joining the six nations and they are slowly moving in that direction everyday.

 

[Bruce_ma gooshvili]

A couple of decent tries in this.

 

[higgik]

It's because the Springboks are joining the six nations and they are slowly moving in that direction everyday.

This could be the blueprint for an expanded 6 Nations.
3 fixtures in groups 3 consecutive weeks
Week off
Play offs semi finals and 5-8 with final round to get winners doen to 8th.

I know issue would be getting everyone enough home fixtures, but with some thought it could work and still gets 5 matches over 6 weeks.

 

[dullonien]

Good win for Wales v Scotland yesterday - they're looking far stronger than they did in the 6n.

I was struggling to understand the format of the tournament with the lopsided pools. Initially thought it must be top and lower tiers, but looking at the fixtures on the final weekend it doesn't appear to be that way with with winner from each pool playing off on the final weekend to decide the overall champions. Maybe it was drawn at random and this just happened to be the outcome?

Great opportunity for Wales to reach the final though. I'd expect them to beat Georgia, then it'll come down to the Italy game. Italy have been strong at U20 level recently, so that'll be a tough match.