Latest news with #NeilDoak
Irish Examiner
7 hours ago
- Sport
- Irish Examiner
Doak makes two changes to Ireland U20s side for Italy clash
Ireland head coach Neil Doak has side for Friday's clash with hosts Italy in the World Rugby U20 Championship The game takes place at 7.30pm (Irish time) in Stadio Luigi Zaffanella in Viadana. There are two changes to the starting XV from the win over Georgia on Sunday. Scrumhalf Will Wootton starts along with Alex Usanov, while Connacht's Éanna McCarthy again captains the side. Charlie Molony, Paidi Farrell and Derry Moloney continue again in Ireland's back three, with Eoghan Smyth and Ciarán Mangan making up the midfield pairing. Tom Wood is at out-half and is joined in the half-backs by Wootton. In the pack, Usanov, Henry Walker and Alex Mullan are in the front row, Mahon Ronan and Billy Corrigan are in the engine room and Luke Murphy joins Michael Foy and McCarthy in the back row. Mikey Yarr, Billy Bohan, Tom McAllister, Conor Kennelly and Bobby Power are the forwards available to Doak and his Coaching Team on the bench, with backs Clark Logan, Sam Wisniewski and Daniel Green completing Ireland's 23. Ireland U20: C Molony; P Farrell, C Mangan, E Smyth, D Moloney; T Wood, W Wootton; A Usanov, H Walker, A Mullan; M Ronan, B Corrigan; M Foy, É McCarthy (capt), L Murphy. Replacements: M Yarr, B Bohan, T McAllister, C Kennelly, B Power, C Logan, S Wisniewski, D Green.
Irish Independent
7 hours ago
- Sport
- Irish Independent
Two changes as Ireland U-20s gear up for World Championship showdown with Italy
Ireland U20 head coach Neil Doak has made two changes to his starting XV ahead of Friday's clash with hosts Italy at the World Rugby U20 Championship in Viadana. Scrum-half Will Wootton and tighthead prop Alex Usanov have been drafted into the line-up for the must-win fixture at Stadio Luigi Zaffanella, with Clark Logan and Billy Bohan dropping to the bench.
Irish Times
3 days ago
- Sport
- Irish Times
Ireland under-20s overcome Georgian physicality to secure bonus-point win
World Rugby Under-20 Championships: Ireland 35 Georgia 28 A bonus-point victory over Georgia brings some much-needed positivity to an Ireland Under-20s outfit fresh off a Six Nations wooden spoon. The performance of Tom Wood – we won't mention his dad too much – was another positive, as was wing Páidí Farrell's pair of tries on debut. That Ireland won in spite of an at times dominant Georgian pack is testament to this group's resilience. That the forwards did lose the upper hand leads to concerns for the remainder of this tournament. Granted, some effective rearguard defence from Neil Doak's side should still be applauded. Starting at outhalf, Wood's left boot was responsible for nearly all of Ireland's first-half points. He definitely has a more cultured hoof than Keith. His opening kick-off hung long enough for Charlie Molony to regather. Wood's short pass to Michael Foy allowed the backrow to burst into the 22. Wood then tried a cross kick, Derry Moloney gathering before feeding Farrell in the corner with barely a minute gone. READ MORE Farrell has been earmarked as a rare Irishman with pace. He didn't need much of it to finish this one, given the space available. Wood's boot also led to the second try, a beautiful kick skimming along the turf and into touch close to the Georgian line. With possession secured via the 50:22, Henry Walker scored off the back of a lineout maul. Ireland's Tom Wood scores a try. Photograph: Sebastiano Pessina/Inpho Both Irish scores were answered by Georgian power. A series of scrum penalties were predictable before kick-off, given Ireland's weakness. Ill-discipline at the breakdown and the maul should prove more frustrating, Georgia comfortably winning the first-half territorial battle. When down 8-0, secondrow Gagi Margvelashvili barged over after penalties took play up to the 22. After Walker stretched Ireland's lead, scrumhalf Giorgi Spanderashvili quick-tapped from a Foy breakdown infringement, slipping off some weak tackles to score. While Georgia had the upper hand at the scrum, referee Jeremy Rozier had words with both sets of frontrows. His patience wore thin when both Alex Mullan and Bachuki Baratshvili were binned just before half-time. Ireland's Paidi Farrell scores a try. Photograph: Sebastiano Pessina/Inpho New props, same result. Ireland immediately gave up another penalty. They did at least stop the bleeding, cleverly sacking a maul before a Georgian spill killed their final attack of the half. Ireland should actually have stretched their lead with the clock in the red, Wood missing a penalty amid confusion caused by a faltering shot-clock. Ireland started the second period as they did the first, Farrell going over out wide. His first touch opened the scoring, his third, just over 40 minutes later, added Ireland's third try, another straightforward finish. Georgia countered after a nervous moment for Mullan. Already on yellow, a weaker referee would have sent him off for a high tackle. Rozier, though, made a strong – and correct – decision. Mullan was so low in the tackle he had nowhere else to go. The respite did not stop Spanderashvili from scoring a second from a tap penalty moments later. This time Rozier got it wrong, failing to spot the scrumhalf restarting from the wrong mark. Despite the defensive struggles, Ireland started to find attacking fluidity. A turnover off the restart gifted a platform inside the Georgia 22, Mahon Ronan ultimately crashing over from close range. Two further line breaks, from Wood and Eoghan Smyth, went unrewarded – as did Georgian centre Data Akhvlediani's clever line off an inside ball – but Ireland's pressure eventually told. Ireland's Daniel Green and Ospreys' Harri Deaves celebrates after the match. Photograph: Sebastiano Pessina/Inpho Replacement scrumhalf Will Wooton made a good decision to go down the blindside. Fullback Molony spotted the space, picking off an understaffed defence to score Ireland's fifth. Be it rust or exhaustion in the Calvisano heat, the final quarter brought few opportunities. For all their earlier dominance, the Georgian pack saw two attempted mauls held up. A third ended the game with a consolation score. To say Ireland clung on for a seven-point victory sounds somewhat harsh. They have, though, broken their losing habit. One of the teams that beat them in the spring, Italy, are up next on Friday. Scoring sequence – 2 mins: Farrell try 5-0; 10: Wood pen 8-0; 16: Margvelashvili try, Takaishvili con 8-7; 23: Walker try, Wood con 15-7; 30: Spanderashvili try, Takaishvili con 15-14; 33: Wood pen 18-14; HT 18-14; 40: Farrell try 23-14; 49: Spanderashvili try, Takaishvili con 23-21; 52 : Ronan try, Wood con 30-21; 61: Molony try 35-21; 80: Kheladze try, Takaishvili con 35-28; FT: 35-28 Ireland Under-20: Charlie Molony; Páidí Farrell, Ciarán Mangan, Eoghan Smyth, Derry Moloney; Tom Wood, Clark Logan; Billy Bohan, Henry Walker, Alex Mullan; Mahon Ronan, Billy Corrigan; Michael Foy, Éanna McCarthy (capt), Luke Murphy. Replacements: Tom McAllister for McCarthy (35-45 mins), Mikey Yarr for Walker (45-48, blood), Alex Usanov for Bohan (45), McCallister for Mullan (49), Conor Kennelly for Corrigan, Bobby Power for McCarthy (both 55), Will Wooton for Logan (56), Yarr for Walker (59), Sam Wisniewski for Smyth (63), Daniel Green for Farrell (65). Yellow card: Mullan (35 mins). Georgia Under-20: Luka Takaishvili; Luka Keshelava, Data Akhvlediani, Nugzar Kevkhishvili, Tariel Burtikashvili; Gigi Sirbiladze, Giorgi Spanderashvili; Bachuki Baratshvili, Mikheil Khakhubia, Mate Ghurtskaia; Temur Tshulukidze, Gagi Margvelashvili; Luka Narsia, Andro Dvali, Mikheil Shioshvili. Replacements: Archil Nozadze for Narsia (35-45 mins), Davit Baramia for Tshulukidze (45), Shota Kheladze for Khakhubia, Giorgi Meskhidze for Ghurtskaia (both 50), Nikoloz Chkhortolia for Margvelashvili (55), Nika Abesadze for Narsia (61), Temur Dzodzuashvili for Soanderashvili (63), Sandro Meskhidze Akhvlediani (67). Yellow card: Baratshivli (35 mins). Referee: Jeremy Rozier (France).
RTÉ News
5 days ago
- Sport
- RTÉ News
Neil Doak named Ireland team for for U20 Championship opener
Ireland Under-20 head coach Neil Doak has named his squad, for Sunday's opening game in the 2025 World Rugby U20 Championship. Ireland face Georgia's U20 side on Sunday 29 June 2 at 5pm (Irish time) in Calvisano, Italy. Connacht's Éanna McCarthy captains the side after leading the team all through the recent U20 Six Nations. Charlie Molony, Paidi Farrell and Derry Moloney start in Ireland's back three, with Eoghan Smyth and Ciarán Mangan making up the midfield pairing. Tom Wood is at out-half and is joined in the half-backs by Clark Logan. In the pack, Billy Bohan, Henry Walker and Alex Mullan are in the front row, Mahon Ronan and Billy Corrigan in the engine room and Luke Murphy joins Michael Foy and McCarthy in the back row. Mikey Yarr, Alex Usanov, Tom McAllister, Conor Kennelly and Bobby Power are the forwards available to Doak and his Coaching Team on the bench, with backs Will Wootton, Sam Wisniewski and Daniel Green completing Ireland's 23.
Irish Times
5 days ago
- Sport
- Irish Times
Neil Doak names Ireland Under-20 side for World Championship opener against Georgia
Under-20 World Championship Ireland v Georgia, Stadio San Michele, Sunday, 5pm Irish time (Live on Rugby Pass TV) It's been a difficult season to date for the Ireland Under-20s, losing four of five matches in the Six Nations and finishing bottom of the table. To compound matters they suffered a heavy defeat to Scotland, the only team they beat in that tournament, in a warm-up game ahead of the World Championship. There were some mitigating circumstances for Neil Doak's side, injuries depriving them of key players, but it doesn't begin to explain the recurring performance glitches that undermined their ambition. Aspects of their patterns were good, they didn't lack courage or character, but they got lost very easily in the weeds of their mistakes. The playing personnel didn't deviate much despite the results with the majority of changes coming in a turnstile selection within the matchday 23 from one game to the next, where starters were benched and then reinstated and vice versa. READ MORE There is a presumption that secondrow Alan Spicer and tighthead prop Niall Smyth are still sidelined through injury. In more uplifting news, prop Alex Usanov, Luke Murphy and Derry Moloney are all fully rehabilitated in time for Sunday's opening game in Calvisano. Ireland's Páidí Farrell. Photograph: Bryan Keane/Inpho Tullamore native Páidí Farrell, who plays with Old Wesley, will make his first start in a tournament game. He possesses a rare attribute in Irish rugby circles, top-end pace and given reasonable ball is a try-scoring threat as he demonstrated capably and consistently in the All-Ireland League. There is a nice balance and plenty of footballing ability in the back three of Farrell, Charlie Molony and Derry Moloney, while the relocation of Ciarán Mangan (younger brother of Leinster's Diarmuid) from wing to outside centre bodes well from an attacking perspective. He plays alongside the hard running Eoghan Smyth in midfield. Tom Wood, son of former Ireland international Keith, has won the number 10 shirt, with Clark Logan at scrumhalf. In the Six Nations, Wood showed a nice skill set and self-possession to play his way through tougher moments. He has a better kicking game than his dad. Billy Bohan, a player to emerge with credit during the Six Nations, teams up with Henry Walker and Alex Mullan in a ball-playing frontrow. Mahon Ronan and Billy Corrigan put in huge shifts in every match, while Murphy's addition to a backrow which also contains captain Éanna McCarthy and Michael Foy, introduces steel and quality. Foy was arguably Ireland's best player in the Six Nations, a turbocharged presence on both sides of the ball. Ireland's bench has a number of players who can change the tempo of a match, none more so than replacement scrumhalf Will Wootton. Georgia will test Ireland's mettle at the set piece, breakdown and on the gain-line. As they demonstrated last year when the sides met in this tournament, the Georgians are very sticky opponents, with Ireland squeezing home in a one-score game. They'd bite your hand off for a similar result here. Doak's side will later play hosts Italy and New Zealand in their other pool games. IRELAND: Charlie Molony (UCD); Páidí Farrell (Old Wesley); Ciarán Mangan (Blackrock College), Eoghan Smyth (Cork Constitution), Derry Moloney (Blackrock College); Tom Wood (Garryowen), Clark Logan (QUB); Billy Bohan (Galway Corinthians), Henry Walker (QUB), Alex Mullan (Blackrock College); Mahon Ronan (Old Wesley), Billy Corrigan (Old Wesley); Michael Foy (UCC), Éanna McCarthy (Galwegians, capt), Luke Murphy (Young Munster). Replacements : Mikey Yarr (UCD), Alex Usanov (Clontarf), Tom McAllister (Ballynahinch), Conor Kennelly (Highfield), Bobby Power (Galwegians), Will Wootton (Sale Sharks) Sam Wisniewski (Old Belvedere), Daniel Green (QUB). Referee : J Rozier (France). Under-20 World Championship Fixtures (all Irish times) Sunday, June 29th Ireland v Georgia, Calvisano, 5pm Friday, July 4th Ireland v Italy, Viadana, 7.30pm Wednesday, July 9th Ireland v New Zealand, Calvisano, 5pm
