Sunday: Ireland Under-20 v England Under-20, Musgrave Park (5pm, live Virgin Media)
Ireland must play the match and not the occasion, that’s been the mantra agreed by the coaches and players.
There can be no distractions, just an adherence to performances values if they are to realise the ambition of winning a Grand Slam for the second season in succession in the Under-20 Six Nations Championship.
James Nicholson is fit again after injury, Paddy McCarthy returns to the starting team, while Queen’s University student Joe Hopes makes the matchday 23 for the first time. Harry West is back on the bench after recovering from a finger injury, while Andrew Osborne will wear the number 23 jersey.
Ireland head coach Richie Murphy will be hoping that leaders like Hugh Cooney, Sam Prendergast, Conor O’Tighearnaigh, Diarmuid Mangan, James McNabney, Brian Gleeson and Ruadhán Quinn, ably led by Gus McCarthy, can inspire one last time.
Another pivotal figure is scrumhalf Fintan Gunne who has tried to model his game on an amalgam of the qualities displayed by Conor Murray, Aaron Smith and Jamison Gibson-Park in their pomp.
Gunne explained: “Conor Murray when he was at his peak, obviously number in the world, he’s got a different body-shape to me so it would be more Aaron Smith down in New Zealand, he’s a similar stature. He’s quick around the pitch and he can make his moments of magic count.
“At the moment, Jamison Gibson-Park is playing very well for Ireland, so I’d look up to him and bring in stuff that he does in his game.”
A shoulder injury delayed Gunne’s start to the season, but he got to train with the Leinster senior squad and was 24th man, a travelling reserve for the province’s recent win over Edinburgh.
He is a third-generation scrumhalf from St Michael’s College, so to speak, alongside Luke McGrath and Nick McCarthy in the Leinster squad.
Coached in school and at Leinster Under-18s by Andy Skehan, he decided not to play for UCD and instead go to Terenure College club where Sean Skehan, Andy’s brother, and Emmet McMahon (also Michael’s) are coaches.
Blessed with a bullet-like pass, he is quick and deceptively strong with an eye for a gap and a good trail line, an attribute that has yielded two tries in the tournament to date.
He is perfectly placed to provide an insight into his halfback partner, Sam Prendergast; the outhalf has been a pivotal figure in helping his team to the cusp of a Grand Slam.
The two played an interprovincial series together for Leinster 19s, having been on opposite sides in a schools’ semi-final won by Newbridge, before hooking up again at national level.
“He’s very laid back on the ball, looks so casual but he’s not afraid to have a word with you if you are stepping out of line.
“He carries himself in a similar way to Johnny Sexton, especially if you are in the wrong,” Gunne smiled.
“We know how each other play and even being in Leinster together, in the gym every day, we have built up a good relationship. We feel comfortable with each other on the pitch and are not afraid to pass ideas. I think that it is a good advantage when you are in the same province together.”
Gunne understands the threat England pose.
“They have a few of their big dogs coming back. Their number eight [Chandler Cunningham-South] is a massive ball carrier who plays for London Irish, and they are bringing him back for this game.
“They have a good 13 and their back three is very strong; fast lads and they will try and get it into their hands, use their pace out wide.”
England coach Alan Dickens made only one change in the first three games, all of which his side won, and has reversed some alterations he made for the French defeat last time out. Joseph Woodward returns to the centre while Cassius Cleaves is introduced to the right wing with Tobias Elliott switching flanks.
Up front Afolabi Fasogbon comes in at tighthead, Danny Eite has recovered from injury while the returning Cunningham-South is a powerful ball carrier with a great pedigree.
Ireland have got better with each game in the tournament and it’s a performance graph that will need to be maintained if they are to achieve the cherished objective. England will offer a thorough examination of Ireland’s set piece and breakdown work and they have pace on the edges in the back three to trouble any team.
Murphy’s side have found a way to fight the pressure and emerge on the other side in this tournament even when their playing rhythm is slightly out of kilter.
They possess the individual flair to supplement the work ethic, focus and commitment to make the team function. If they replicate the quality they have already shown in the tournament, then it will be good enough to prevail.
Ireland: H McErlean (Terenure); J Nicholson (UCD), H Cooney (Clontarf), J Devine (Corinthians), H Gavin (Galwegians); S Prendergast (Lansdowne), F Gunne (Terenure); G Hadden (Clontarf), G McCarthy (UCD, capt), P McCarthy (Dublin University); D Mangan (UL Bohemian), C O’Tighearnaigh (UCD); J McNabney (Ballymena), R Quinn (Old Crescent), B Gleeson (Garryowen). Replacements: D Sheahan (UCC), G Morris (Lansdowne), F Barrett (Corinthians), J Hopes (QUB), L Molony (Dublin University), Ó Cawley (Naas), H West (Buccaneers), A Osborne (Naas).
England: S Harris; C Cleaves, R Mas’asi-White, J Woodward, T Elliott; M Bradbury, C Bracken; A McArthur, F Theobald-Thomas, A Fasogbon; D Eite, L Chessum; F Carnduff, G Fisilau, C Cunning-South. Replacements: N Jibulu, A Opoku, T Hoyt, R Carmichael, T Woodman, A Nye Thomas, S Worsley, J Jenkins.
Referee: A Jacobs (South Africa).
