The Men in Green will be aiming for yet another title
Ireland head coach Neil Doak has selected his squad for the upcoming U20s Six Nations Championship.
Irish fans have become accustomed to high standards in the tournament; winning back-to-back Grand Slams in 2022 and 2023, before losing out by a point to England in last year’s competition.
Connacht’s back row Éanna McCarthy captains the side, with six players – Alex Usanov, Alan Spicer, Mikey Yarr, Billy Corrigan, Henry Walker, and Will Wooton – returning from last year’s crop.
Ahead of their opening game against England on January 30, we have picked out four players to keep an eye on.
Alan Spicer
Ireland have not seen this sort of mass at U20s level since Andrew Porter togged out in 2016.
Listed on the Leinster website as 6ft 10in and 138kg, he is a player with natural advantages that you either have or you don’t.
He was an U20s starter last year and needs to do more than just rely on his size. He will be expected to make a Will Skelton-esque impact this year as the cornerstone of the Irish pack.
Alex Usanov
The loose head was in school with Spicer at Belvedere College, and will also have the burden of expectation having played last year.
His reputation received a significant boost last October when he was called up to the Emerging Ireland squad as a late replacement for Jordan Duggan.
He showed head coach Simon Easterby that he made a mistake not naming him in the original line up, and was the stand out prop in South Africa.
A highly-skilled big man, he has honed his game with the help of other sports, excelling in at a number of martial arts.
In his own words: “Sport is my passion and each of my chosen sports – rugby, judo, jiu-jitsu and athletics – have taught me different disciplines. I did judo with Swords Judo Club, jiu-jitsu with The Royal Grappling Academy and shot put with Fingallians Athletics Club.
“I was All-Ireland Champion for judo in 2018 and 2019 and won a silver medal at the Jiu-jitsu European Championships in 2019. I also won a bronze medal in shot put at the National Indoor and Schools Championships.
“My dad was a competitive swimmer so ensured from an early age that myself and my siblings were involved in sport. My younger sister, Ava Usanova, played Leinster U-18s over the summer and is involved in the the U-18s Leinster and Ireland Sevens programmes.”
Páidà Farrell
Genuine pace is a rare sight in Irish 15s rugby – think Simon Geoghegan, Denis Hickie, Keith Earls, Rob Baloucoune – but Farrell appears to have it in abundance.
There must be something in the water in his home town of Tullamore, with Ireland 7s flyer Jordan Conroy also bred there.
Farrell has played underage 7s for Ireland, and starred for the U18s side – captained by Gene O’Leary Kareem – as they secured a silver medal at the Rugby Europe Sevens Championship in 2023.
Gene O’Leary Kareem
The centre is already a schools rugby legend, winning back-to-back Munster Senior Cup titles in 2023 and 2024, captaining his side in the latter.
He has represented Munster ‘A’ this season, and will be eyeing up full caps before the year is out.
His biggest rugby influence growing up was Brian O’Driscoll, and the similarities are there to see, given the 19-year-old’s similar size, pace, and offloading skills.
Many congrats to 5th Yr student , Gene O'Leary Kareem , who played a starring role at outside centre for @IrishRugby U18 today in their 36-20 win over @Scotlandteam at Donnybrook ! He is pictured here with his proud mum , Cecillia ! #TTID ⬜⬛ #Veryproud pic.twitter.com/owKgpjjTpL
— Pres Rugbyâ„¢ (@pbcrugby) April 8, 2023
