A REFEREE SOUNDED his whistle in Stellenbosch, and briefly, the world moved on.
The Ireland U20s squad had been rocked by tragedy in the days leading up to their final Pool B fixture at the U20 World Championship in South Africa yet here they were, determined to deliver a performance against Fiji and seal their place in the semi-finals.
What followed was a remarkably focused display that saw the young group emphatically get their end of the job done, running in seven tries and scoring nearly 50 points against an athletic, dangerous Fiji side. England’s 22-22 draw with Australia ensured Ireland would advance to the last four as pool winners.
An emotional day at the Danie Craven Stadium will live long in the memory of everybody involved with this team.
Speaking after the game, head coach Richie Murphy admitted that last night, they were unsure if the fixture would go ahead. It would have been no surprise to see Ireland pull out given the shocking series of tragic events that had unfolded in the days leading up to the match.
The first arrived over the weekend when it was confirmed that two teenagers, Andrew O’Donnell and Max Wall, had died in separate incidents on the Greek island of Ios. Both former pupils of St Michael’s College, they had been on a post-Leaving Cert holiday on the island. The two were known to members of the Ireland U20s squad, which includes six former St. Michael’s students.
Amid preparations for the Fiji game, the players were said to be devastated by the news. Murphy opened his pre-match press conference on Monday by reading a statement on behalf of the squad, adding that his players were “in a little bit of shock” and outlining that they had counselling services on the ground to provide support.
Then more devastation hit. On Monday, Munster coach Greig Oliver was killed in a paragliding accident in Cape Town. Oliver – a former Ireland U20s assistant coach – was in South Africa with his family supporting his son, Jack, the Ireland scrum-half.
In the middle of such tragedy, it’s hard to imagine how a group of young men could concentrate on sport, yet that’s exactly what they decided to do, opting to fulfill today’s fixture against Fiji.
The loss of three lives taken too soon hung over the occasion. The day after losing his father, Jack was removed from the Ireland matchday 23, but travelled with the squad to support a team that will be there to support him in the days, weeks and months ahead. It has yet to be decided if the young Munster player will remain in South Africa for the rest of the tournament.
Ireland took to the pitch wearing black armbands, while a moment’s silence was held ahead of all today’s fixtures. Before the Cibi, Fiji captain Moti Murray presented Ireland’s Diarmuid Mangan with a jersey as a mark of respect.
Then a match was played. Ireland started like a team on a mission. Within 15 minutes they led 12-0, Munster’s Brian Gleeson pointing to the sky after crossing for the first try. By half-time, Ireland had the all-important bonus point in the bag, and one foot in the last four.
In the second half they survived an early Fiji blitz and put the foot down again, the introduction of Sam Prendergast, Ronan Foxe and Gus McCarthy off the bench lifting a team that were, understandably, beginning to look fatigued.
At times they were excellent, with the maul driving Fiji back, John Devine leading in defence and Andrew Osborne racing through after running a superb, sharp line that split Fiji open. At times they wobbled and Fiji closed the gap, but in the end Ireland had 20 points to spare. It was a remarkably focused performance given the circumstances.
“I am extremely proud of the group,” said Murphy.
“Last night we weren’t quite sure what was going to happen and whether we were going to play the game or not. I thought the guys came together really well today and really fronted up in what was the most incredible circumstance that I have ever experienced in 20 years of coaching.
“I have never experienced anything like this, so I am really proud of the boys and we are in a semi-final so we have got a lot to look forward to.”
To make it to the last four of a World Cup is a superb achievement for a squad that were badly hit by injury and suspension before the events of the last few days overshadowed anything that would happen on a rugby pitch.
Their involvement in the tournament continues into the knockout rounds, but these players have already come through the defining game of their World Cup.
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