Latest news with #IrelandU20
BBC News
05-07-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
Wales U20s beaten by Ireland in Summer Series opener
Wales Under-20s were beaten 27-10 by Ireland in their opening game of the Six Nations Summer Series in Ystrad Barrett and Robyn O'Connor crossed for Ireland before Savannah Picton-Powell scored a well worked try for had a try ruled out at the end of the first half but went in at the break leading Hannah Clarke extended Ireland's lead but Wales hit back with Seren Singleton finishing off another impressive despite Wales' defensive efforts tries from back row Jemima Adams Verling and replacement Ellie O'Sullivan Sexton sealed victory for France beat Italy 46-5 in the opening game of The Six Nations Summer Series, which is being held at the Centre for Sporting Excellence in Ystrad next games will be against Scotland on Friday, 11 July (18:00 BST) and Italy on Thursday, 17 July (15:30 BST). Line-ups Wales: Hannah Lane, Seren Singleton, Savannah Picton-Powell, Freya Bell, Nia Fajeyisan, Carys Hughes, Sian Jones; Stella Orrin, Molly Wakely, Elan Jones, Robyn Davies, Lily Terry, Branwen Metcalfe (Captain), Lottie Buffery-Latham, Gwennan HopkinsReplacements: Rosie Carr, Dali Hopkins, Evie Hill, Chiara Pearce, Jorja Aiono, Ffion Williams, Hanna Tudor, Mollie WilkinsonIreland: Niamh Gallagher, Hannah Clarke, Lyndsay Clarke, Tara O'Neill, Robyn O'Connor, Caitríona Finn, Jade Gaffney; Ella Burns, Beth Buttimer, Sophie Barrett, Jane Neill (Captain), Aoibhe O'Flynn, Poppy Garvey, Aoife Corcoran, Jemima Adams VerlingReplacements: Maebh Clenaghan, Saoirse Crowe, Lily Morris, Alma Atagamen, Rosie Searle, Emily Foley, Ellie O'Sullivan Sexton, Clara Dunne
Yahoo
05-07-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Ireland captain Neill raring for Six Nations Women's Summer Series
Ireland captain Jane Neill is raring to go at this year's Six Nations Women's Summer Series as she returns for her second tilt at success in the competition. Neill's side begin against Wales in the opening round of fixtures at the Centre for Sporting Excellence in Ystrad Mynach, Caerphilly, South Wales. Advertisement It is the second edition of the U20 tournament, which debuted in Italy 12 months ago when Ireland won one of their three games. Neill, who also skippered the side on that occasion, is looking forward to another go. 'I'm absolutely buzzing,' the 21-year-old said. 'We're really excited as a team and we're obviously playing the host nation Wales so that'll be tough, they'll probably have a really big crowd. 'We've trained well over the last couple of days so we're ready to get going.' The Arklow native has enjoyed the good feeling around the camp ahead of their opening clash after a strong build-up which saw them face Canada U20 twice, splitting the two-game series 1-1. Advertisement 'We've been lucky enough to have got going in April, that's when we had our first camp, so we've been building since then,' Neill continued. 'We were lucky enough to play Canada twice in May, which was really interesting for us to get a game out there as a team.' Following on from the 2024 Women's Summer Series, 14 players across the six countries have since gone on to win full international caps, including Ireland's Ruth Campbell, who made her senior bow in September 2024 against Australia. And Neill highlighted the importance of the competition for giving players the opportunity to standout and to use it as a springboard to break into the senior team. Advertisement 'It's amazing to see the growth,' she added. 'I was fortunate enough to captain last year's squad, and I think six or seven of the girls have since been involved with the senior camp. I know Ruth Campbell is now consistently with that team, and she was playing with us last year. 'It's really inspiring to see the senior team is achievable through this.' With women's rugby on an upward trajectory, the 2025 Six Nations Women's Summer Series is a big chance for stars of the future to gain vital international experience, graduate along the development pathway, while also inspiring a new generation of rugby fans. Advertisement Spread across three dates during July, Ireland will also face France on 11 July before rounding off their campaign against Scotland six days later. Julie Paterson, Chief of Rugby at Six Nations Rugby, added: 'The Women's Summer Series is an essential part of the strategy and commitment of Six Nations Rugby, and the six unions and federations, to proactively support the creation and growth of opportunities in the women's game.' Discover the future of international rugby at the 2025 Women's Summer Series – where rising stars shine. Follow the action live at and on Instagram @u20sixnations.
Irish Times
05-07-2025
- Sport
- Irish Times
Gavin Coombes: ‘I've been waiting four years for this'
Gavin Coombes knows what it's like to win in Georgia. Eight years ago in Kutaisi, he was part of an Ireland Under-20 group that finished ninth in the World Championship, a squad that included Caelan Doris, Rónan Kelleher, Fineen Wycherley and Calvin Nash, a team-mate at the Mikheil Meskhi stadium in Tbilisi for Saturday night's match. The previous year Nigel Carolan's 20s had reached the World Cup final, but it was to be an altogether tougher experience 12 months on. Coombes and his cohorts lost all three pool matches, going down to Italy and Scotland before taking a shellacking from New Zealand. Victories over Samoa and Georgia rescued a ninth-place finish. He has mixed memories of the experience on the pitch. Off it, they're more pleasant. 'We had some not great results, and we won a few games. I think when you're playing 20s rugby it's very enjoyable. You're playing with a lot of people you grew up with. I have fond memories.' Coombes was in the vanguard of a glut of young players that established west Cork as a rich source of rugby talent, alongside Darren Sweetnam, his cousin Liam Coombes, Jack Crowley, John Hodnett, Jack Crowley and the Wycherleys, Fineen and Josh. READ MORE Coombes is a cousin of Irish rowing royalty, the O'Donovan brothers, Paul and Gary , and he grew up on a dairy farm in Betsboro, about 3km outside Skibbereen. He played all sports, but a significant part of his childhood was spent on the sidelines at Skibbereen RFC, watching his father Eric and uncle John. His aunt Mags was the first woman to be elected club president. Liam is her son. There was no bushel that could hide Gavin Coombes, who was always tall for his age and now stands at 6ft 6in. His power game was evident from a young age, and so too his athleticism. But there were gaps in his game, which were not evident as much when playing with Munster but became more apparent as he progressed from age-grade internationals to playing in the senior national side. When he won a brace of caps in the summer of 2021, against Japan off the bench and a try-scoring start against the USA, the expectation was that he would become a feature. Ireland's Gavin Coombes scores a try during the game against the USA. Photograph: Donall Farmer/PA Wire It didn't materialise despite a stellar try-scoring rate for Munster and his largely consistent excellence. There were also a couple of blokes called Jack Conan and Caelan Doris who were reluctant to accommodate his international ambitions. Sitting in a hotel in Tbilisi he's guarded rather than evasive. In four years since those caps he's had to listen to a list of his playing shortcomings. Some of it could be considered fair appraisal, some of it a little picky and ignoring the substance of his performances. The Georgia match has been inked on his calendar as a chance to regain a foothold once again in Test rugby. He explained: 'It's huge. It's probably been my target for the season, to get here. So now I've got to take that opportunity with both hands. 'It's been a while since I've played, so I want to put my best foot forward and hopefully, farther down the line, it gives me more opportunities.' He has scars from the knock-backs, but he's used them as fuel. 'I guess after I played four years ago, I had put a lot of pressure on myself to try to get in and play regularly, but when you get disappointed a few times, I think you have to step back from the situation and look at the players that you're competing with. 'I'm competing with two of the best 'eights' in the world, so, just looking at myself and focusing on myself and then all I can do is improve what I'm doing. I can't control what they're doing. I'd say I'm a good bit different. I made a lot of mistakes in those four years. It is experience gained. 'I feel like four years ago I might have taken it for granted and thought that was the normal thing to do; when you're 23, you're picked for Ireland and then your career goes in that trajectory. I'm definitely going to be a lot more grateful for the opportunity this time and hopefully I can grab it.' Gavin Coombes in action for Munster. Photograph: Laszlo Geczo/Inpho When asked about the mistakes or missteps, he listened to the feedback from people whom he respected. 'There were a lot of mistakes on the pitch, mistakes off the pitch maybe with regards to preparation, planning and different things like that. 'I would be in conversation with Paulie [ Paul O'Connell ] a good bit and the coaches in Munster would be constantly chatting with the coaches up here [with Ireland], so I'm well aware of the areas of my game that I need to work on. 'I've definitely gone after a few of those areas, but I think for any player that sits up here they can never say they're a complete player. It's just about planning those little one-percenters wherever you can.' He acknowledges that his point of difference in his ball carrying, which is something his team-mates in Tbilisi will rely on when it comes to the gainline. He'll relish the physical confrontation and collisions. 'I guess that's something I pride myself on week-in, week-out with Munster, so if I want to go where I want to go, I have to bring it to this stage.' The veil descends a little as if he catches himself saying too much. He knows the pitch is the proving ground. He needs to make it his time. 'I've been waiting for four years.' That's it in a nutshell. It's about actions now.
