NIGEL CAROLAN’S IRELAND U20s secured their second win from two games in the Six Nations on Friday night at Dubarry Park, running four tries past France in a 37-20 victory.
As after last weekend’s success in Italy, we’ve picked out a handful of players who excelled for Carolan’s side.
Sam Arnold
The latest in an ever-growing line of players to come through the excellent Exiles system, Arnold was attached to Harlequins as recently as 2013. The centre qualifies for Ireland through his Wexford roots, and our gain appears to be England’s loss.
Arnold is now based out of Ulster, having joined their academy and signing up to play his club rugby with Ballynahinch. One of the youngest players in Carolan’s squad, Arnold will be eligible again next season.
The midfielder’s 96kg physique belies his relative youth, but there are subtle handling skills to go along with his powerful frame. The offload for Jack Owens’ opening try was superb, while the inside pass to assist Stephen Fitzgerald was excellent too.
Indeed, along with Arnold’s busy ball carrying were a high number of passes to release Ireland’s outside backs against the French, while there were also some quality moments of defensive reading and tackling from Arnold on Friday night.
Lorcan Dow
The powerful number eight is another product of the Exiles system, and also a man who has pitched up at Ulster having been born and bred in England. Dow is now playing club rugby with Queen’s University Belfast and part of Ulster’s academy.
Dow did live in Dublin for several years as a youngster, when his actor parents moved the family to Ireland in search of work. Back on English soil, he excelled for the well-regarded Whitgift School in London, the same establishment that produced Dow’s fellow Ulster back row prospect Frankie Taggert.
On Friday evening, Dow demonstrated his ball carrying strength by taking on huge responsibility in that area. There is little doubt about the talent of this Ireland backline, but they need men like Dow to provide them with front-foot ball to be at their best.
Time and again, the 6ft 3ins back row powered forward in contact, working hard to get around the corner and run onto the excellent Nick McCarthy’s passes. A lineout take in the build-up to Owens’ try showed Dow is a strong set-piece operator too.
Ross Byrne
We picked out Byrne as Ireland’s best player in the win over Italy, and his performance against the French was even more impressive. Leinster have a serious out-half prospect on their books.
The 20-year-old is in his second year with the U20s and that affords him a great degree of composure, something the former St. Michael’s man has always had in his game regardless.
Against the French, there was further evidence of Byrne’s playmaking ability as he released accurate passes both short and long, and with ideal timing. His understanding of space is strong.
There was more excellent kicking from hand and a 100% return rate off the tee after missing just one of seven place kicks in Italy. The UCD prospect also possesses an ideal 6ft 2ins frame and already weighs over 90kg.
Byrne even had his own noisy fan club at the game, a group of youngsters he’s currently helping to coach at Michael’s. A word too for Byrne’s halfback partner McCarthy, who is similarly intelligent in his decision-making around the pitch.
