Ireland U20s overcome Georgia to kickstart World Cup campaign
World U20 Championship: Ireland 35 Georgia 28
Ireland got their U-20 World Rugby Championship campaign off to an encouraging start with a bonus point win over a strong Georgian side in Calvisano.
Skipper Éanna McCarthy said the key thing was to get the win by a side which finished bottom of the Six Nations earlier this season.
'We knew Georgia was going to be a massive physical battle but we stood up and made a good performance out of it and finished key moments,' said the Cork native who is in the Connacht academy.
Head coach Neil Doak will know there is plenty of room for improvement but after winning just one game in the Six Nations the win was all that mattered in stifling heat in northern Italy.
They will hope to build on this when they take on the hosts Italy in Viadana next Friday and there were plenty of signs they can achieve a second win there and head into a winner-takes-all final pool showdown with New Zealand.
Ireland led 18-14 at the break, having got off to the perfect start when Tullamore RFC product Paidi Farrell crowned his U-20 debut with a try in just over 70 seconds when the winger, who now plays with Old Wesley, scored in the right corner after a pressure blitz from the Irish from the start. When several surges were repelled, out-half Tom Wood went wide with Derry Moloney putting the other winger in for the opening score.
Wood, a third generation Irish international following in the footsteps of dad Keith and grandfather Gordon, was off target with the conversion but stretched the lead with a ninth minute penalty and kept the Georgians penned back with some top class kicking from the hand.
But the Georgians eventually got on top in the scrum and got back in contention when lock Gagui Margvelashvili was out through by his No.8 Mikheili Shioshvili to score a try converted by full-back Luka Takaishvili to make it 8-7 after 16 minutes.
A superb 50:22 down the left by Wood ended with hooker Henry Walker scoring off a good lineout drive, with Wood adding the extras from the wing to make it 15-7.
Ireland's wooden spoon finish in the Six Nations had a lot to do with slack defending and Georgia made them pay on the half hour when scrum-half Giorgi Spanderashvili escaped the clutches of five tackles to score from a tapped penalty outside the 22, with Takaishvili cutting the gap to 15-14 with the conversion.
Ireland, who had 13 missed tackles to Georgia's three by the break, got their defence sorted and Wood extended the lead with a penalty before Irish tighthead Alex Mullan and Georgian loosehead Bachuki Baratashvili were binned by French referee Jeremy Rozier after repeated reset scrums.
Ireland had a chance to extend the lead before the break but amid confusion among the officials over timekeeping, Wood's rushed effort missed the target and they had to settle for 18-14 at the break.
Farrell started the second half the same as the first, scoring in the right corner after another good period of sustained pressure, but they were again caught napping at the other end as scrum-half Spanderashvili again tapped and scored from close range to cut the gap to 23-21.
But Ireland refused to be rattled and Boyne RFC product Mahon Ronan displayed great strength for the lock to score beside the posts, with Wood's conversion making it 30-21 as Ireland secured the bonus point.
Impressive full-back Charlie Molony made the game safe when he stepped inside down the left to score a fine try and make the game safe at 35-21 in the final quarter against a Georgian side who had ten of the side which stretched them all the way in last year's tournament in South Africa.
The Georgians deservedly secured a couple of bonus points when replacement hooker Shoya Kheladzescored off a lineout and Takaishvili converted
Scorers: Ireland: Tries: P Farrell (2), H Walker, M Ronan, C Molony. Cons: T Wood (2). Pens: Wood (2).
Georgia: Tries: G Spanderashvili (2), G Margvelashvili, S Kheladze. Cons: L Takaishvili (4).
IRELAND: C Molony; P Farrell (D Green 64), C Mangan, E Smyth (S Wisniewski 65), D Moloney; T Wood, C Logan (W Wootton 56); B Bohan (A Usanov 49)), H Walker (M Yarr 45-50, 60), A Mullan (T McAllister 52); M Ronan, B Corrigan (C Kennelly 56); M Foy, E McCarthy (McAllister 35-45, B Power 56), L Murphy.
GEORGIA: L Takaishvili; L Keshelava, D Akhvlediani (S Meskhidze 69), N Kevkhishvili, T Burtikashvili; G Sirbiladze, G Spanderashvili (T Dzodquashvili 64); B Baratashvili (A Nozadze 56), M Khakhubia (S Kheladze 52), M Gurtskaia (G Meskhidze 52); T Tsulukidze (D Baramia 46), G Margvelashvili (N Chkhortolia 56); L Narsia (Nozadze 35-45, N Abesadze 62), A Dvali, M Shioshvili.
Referee: Jeremy Rozier (France)
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
RTÉ News
35 minutes ago
- RTÉ News
Ireland miss out on promotion at European Athletics Team Championships
Ireland finished fifth in Division 2 of the European Athletics Team Championships in Slovenia on Sunday, narrowly missing out on promotion to the top tier of the continental competition. Strong performances from the likes of Sarah Lavin (Emerald AC), Nicola Tuthill (UCD AC), Cian McPhillips (UCD AC) and the mixed 4x400m relay team kept the 43-strong team in contention right up to the last few events. Lavin took Ireland's only win of the weekend, earning maximum points in the women's 100m hurdles. The Limerick sprinter clocked a time of 12.82 seconds to claim victory. Team captain Marcus Lawler (Clonliffe Harriers AC) was sixth in the men's 200m, while in the women's event Lauren Roy (City of Lisburn AC) finished just outside her personal best, clocking 23.32 seconds to finish fifth. The mixed 4x400m relay team of Jack Raftery (Donore Harriers), Cliodhna Manning (Kilkenny City Harriers), Callum Baird (Ballymena and Antrim AC) and Sharlene Mawdsley combined to clock a time of 3:14.81, finishing second in their heat and fourth overall. Cian McPhillips (UCD AC) made a strong return from injury to finish third in the men's 800m. The Longford native closed strongly in the final 100m to cross the line in a time of 1:46.37. In the women's 1500m, Laura Nicholson (Bandon AC) finished fourth on her Irish senior international debut, the 25-year-old clocking 4:20.48. Finley Daly (Sligo AC) ran bravely to also place fourth in the men's 3000m steeplechase. The Galway-based athlete clocked a time of 8:51.89. In the field, Nicola Tuthill (UCD AC) fouled her opening two throws but composed herself well to finish the competition in third position, her best throw coming in the fourth round at 70.50m. Team captain Niamh Fogarty (Raheny Shamrock AC) produced a lifetime best of 14.29 metres in the women's shot put to finish seventh, while Conor Callinan (Leevale AC) also recorded the best result of his career, clearing 4.90 metres in the pole vault. In the men's javelin, Conor Cusack (Lake District AC) impressed to claim a eighth-place finish, throwing a best of 72.43 metres.
Irish Examiner
an hour ago
- Irish Examiner
Royal run to last four could not have been foreseen
All-Ireland SFC quarter-final: Meath 2-16 (2-0-16) Galway 2-15 (2-2-11) Promotion from the League's second division was beyond Meath, Louth denying them top-tier membership on the final day. Little has been beyond them since. Dublin, Kerry, and Galway have all been bettered and stunned in this unforeseen Royal run to the second last weekend of the championship. They have been and continue to be the summer's brilliant bolter. In this championship of saturated storylines, the overlooked boys from Division 2 have had the audacity to challenge the Clifford-O'Shea axis and Jimmy's noise-making for the headline act. Remember now, it was only two years ago that Meath wore second-tier championship clothes. Their Sam Maguire return was no return at all. The Dubs whipped them by 16 points in Leinster, with the subsequent All-Ireland group series starting and finishing without a single Meath win. The four consecutive defeats spawned an off-season of Colm O'Rourke being squeezed out. Not a quiet or subtle squeezing, mind. A fine basket of dirty laundry was duly washed in public view. From there to here was not logically foreseeable. And don't forget we had further noise and off-field distraction when two of Robbie Brennan's selectors, Joe McMahon and Martin Corey, mysteriously departed on the eve of championship. Again, from there to here just could not be contemplated. Meath arrived into HQ yesterday as 16-year quarter-final strangers. Their opponents were chasing a third semi-final appearance in four years. The opening exchanges suggested no difference in experience. Meath, in fact, were the more assertive and more dominant. Their issue was their finishing. After 16 minutes, the scoreline read 0-1 apiece. Of Meath's opening six points attempts, only Seán Coffey was successful. Of the other five, Jordan Morris was thrice wide, Keith Curtin was also off-target, and Conor Duke was short. As the scoreline suggests, the early action was cagey and careless . And so we are making the editorial decision to fast-forward all the way to the 50th minute. We may or may not come back to what we skipped over. Very little of it was exciting, less again was memorable. The last quarter was show stealing. It took Kerry registering 0-14 from 13 shots to relegate the closing spell of the day's opening quarter-final to second spot on the Sunday podium. The drama overflowed. Momentum lurched. So too did the lead. Galway gone, Galway back, Galway crisis averted, to, finally, the Galway gift that paved Meath progression. Jordan Morris pointed off a 50th minute Galway kickout not retained by the men in maroon. It was the second Meath point of the second period they'd engineered from a spoiled Galway kickout. It was the second point in a 1-3 Royal burst. A minute later, Conor Gleeson denied Morris' goal drive. Ciarán Caulfield subsequently kicked wide. The westerners were taking on water and yet Meath were keeping their ship afloat with these chances not taken. Then, in a stunning two minutes, they pressed down hard on Joyce's ship and his time as Galway manager. Daniel O'Flaherty turned over, sub Conor Gray uprooting the green flag. Meath profiting off Galway turnovers - 2-6 in total - was the story of the game, even if the headline will be Meath progressing to a first semi-final since 2009. That progression appeared sealed as early as the 54th minute. Meath won Gleeson's kickout following the goal, Morris thumping the ball back over. 1-12 to 0-9. Four minutes was all that Galway required to temporarily torpedo those semi-final dreams. Enter Damien Comer, re-enter Galway. 2-3 between the 56th and 59th minute. The returning Comer had a hand in three of the four scores. He won the free for a Shane Walsh two-pointer. He won the sideline that began a sequence of passes that ended with fellow replacement Cillian McDaid shaking the net. He won the equalising free that Rob Finnerty converted. The sensational overtaking movement was completed by Liam Silke. Nerve held at the end of another delicious run of defence splitting passes. All this in 10 minutes and still another 10 to run. Gleeson, for the third time, produced a fantastic save to deny the soccer-style effort of Morris. The subsequent 45 was kicked wide by Meath 'keeper Billy Hogan, the second of three he would miss in the second period. Gleeson went short with the restart. Johnny McGrath turned over. Matthew Costello to Morris. Goal. Meath back in front. 2-13 to 2-12. Cathal Hickey and Morris swelled that lead to three as Walsh kicked wide and Paul Conroy's two-point effort fell short. Conroy's sole other involvement was to slip and lose possession. A harsh final chapter for the current footballer of the year. Walsh's second orange flag reduced the margin to the minimum with 90 seconds remaining. Meath held possession from the restart. They were exceptionally strong under their own restart. The out-of-retirement Bryan Menton was superb in this department. They held on. They carry on. Galway's taxing schedule is well documented. Tired bodies and tired minds were not the root cause of this unexpected exit. The non-policing of Morris and needless turnovers did them. Self-inflicted defeat. Again. Scorers for Meath: J Morris (1-6); M Costello (0-4, 0-1 free); C Gray (1-0); D Keogan, S Coffey, C Duke, B Menton, E Frayne, C Hickey (0-1 each). Scorers for Galway: (0-5, tp, tp free); R Finnerty (0-3, 0-2 frees); L Silke, C McDaid (1-0 each); M Tierney, M Thompson (0-2 each); S Kelly, J Maher, D Comer (0-1 each). MEATH: B Hogan; R Ryan, S Rafferty, S Lavin; D Keogan, S Coffey, C Caulfield; B Menton, A O'Neill; M Costello, R Kinsella, C Duke; J Morris, E Frayne, K Curtis. Subs: C Hickey for Curtis (42); B O'Halloran for Lavin (temporary, 46-49); C Gray for O'Neill (46); B O'Halloran for S Rafferty (56), S Rafferty for Lavin (60); E Harkin for Duke (temporary, 64); C McBride for Menton (67). GALWAY: C Gleeson; J McGrath, S Fitzgerald, J Glynn; D McHugh, S Kelly, C Hernon; J Maher, C Darcy; L Silke, M Tierney, P Cooke; M Thompson, S Walsh, R Finnerty. Subs: P Conroy for Hernon (42); C McDaid for Cooke (43); D O'Flaherty for McHugh, D Comer for Tierney (both 51); K Molloy for Kelly (64). Referee: M McNally (Monaghan).
Irish Daily Mirror
an hour ago
- Irish Daily Mirror
Lions - Jack Willis is sensational for Toulouse in Top 14 final win
Jack Willis was in outstanding form for Toulouse who beat Bordeaux 39-33 after extra-time in the Top 14 final. Thomas Ramos kicked two penalties in the added time to seal the win but Willis, starting in the Toulouse back-row was superb, scoring two of Toulouse's four tries. This is a player, excluded from the original Lions squad selection, who has started 25 of the 27 games he has played for Toulouse this season - and he has bagged 10 tries in the was at no7 for last weekend's game at Stade de France but had started half-a-dozen games at no6 and played twice at no8 is not in the current England set-up because they have decided, as part of a general policy, not to pick players who are based at foreign clubs. His last cap came in March 2023 when, indeed, he was at Toulouse but this was considered an exceptional circumstance as he had moved there following the collapse of his English club, having not returned to play in England at the beginning of the following season, he has been excluded from their international set-up since. Blair Kinghorn, who also plays for Toulouse, is a Scotland international regular and started at left-wing against Bordeaux - moving to full-back when Romain N'tamack got injured and Ramos moved to out-half - and has no such international bar on him from the hasn't an easy decision to make with regard to Willis. Selecting the exile might not be popular with the English Rugby Union - thought to be Farrell's next employers after then he has been shown as a man of his own mettle before and a lot will rest on how he viewed the collective Lions back-row performances to games in, Ben Earls, Jac Morgan and Tom Curry had have nightmares against Argentina and Tadhg Beirne, switched from second-row to back-row, didn't show too well against the same time there has to be satisfaction that 20 year-old Henry Pollock who was asked to play the executive role at no8 for the Lions against Force was within touching distance of Man of the Match.A practical neophyte who, according to the textbook, is 'supposed' to trade at this level by filling in at no6 for a sustained Kaboom!Pollock made 13 carries for 74 metres, two clean breaks beating four defenders, 17 tackles with just one miss and posted a try-assist. Only Joe McCarthy made more carries, only the back-three made more metres, only James Lowe equalled his clean break/defenders beaten tally, only Josh van der Flier beat his tackle count. This from a player who wasn't even in the England matchday squad for the 2025 Six Nations game here in fact, he was with the England U20 squad for Rounds 1&2 of the U20 Six Nations and, called into the senior squad, came on as a sub against Wales in the last of their Six Nations no7 for England U20s against Ireland U20 at Virgin Media Musgrave Park last January 30, he was instrumental in the English win, the scoreline finishing Foy (Munster), Bobby Power (Connacht) and Eanna McCarthy (Connacht) started in the Ireland back-row that night, Oisin Minogue (Munster) came in as a 65th minute sub for Power - none of that quartet have even been in a matchday squad at their was also a second bright performance last Saturday in Perth from Josh van der Flier, his first-quarter tackling and covering was sensational and just outstanding thereafter. He made a staggering 18 tackles in the first 55 minutes. Jack Conan came in as a sub late in the game which means he has yet to make a 2025 start for the Lions albeit he is expected to be named at no8 to face Queensland Reds on Wednesday picture still remains unclear as to whether Hugo Keenan will be fit and it is unlikely Blair Kinghorn will be considered having played alongside Willis for Toulouse in the Top 14 final. Bundee Aki and Huw Jones are the likely centre combination, it is hoped Gibson-Park will be fit for scrum-half, with the likelihood Ellis Genge, Luke Cowan, Will Stuart will comprise the front-row, James Ryan gain a spot in the second-row and with Conan at no8. The selection of the openside and blindside flankers will be revealing.
