Ireland Squad Confirmed For U-18 European Men’s Sevens Championship

The Ireland Sevens management have confirmed 4 Ulster players among the 12-strong squad who will compete at this weekend’s Rugby Europe Under-18 Men’s Sevens Championship in Gdansk, Poland. Letterkenny RFC / The Royal School Armagh centre Charlie Worth will captain the side and he is joined in the squad by fellow Ulster players Ben Moxham, Conor McKee and Jude Postlethwaite. Michael Black, Ulster Rugby's Provincial Talent Coach commented on the selection of four Ulster players among the squad: "Each of the players are to be congratulated on their selection in the national sevens squad, and it is just reward for their undoubted quality and application of effort. I have no doubt their experience in the sevens programme will further enhance their development. We wish them well and look forward to them joining up with our age-grade squads for the Inter-provincials when they return. While they are on 7s duty, it will also create opportunities for other players to stake a claim for places in our age-grade teams for the opening rounds of the Inter-pros this weekend, which obviously helps drive further depth in our provincial squads." The team is coached by Allan Temple-Jones, the IRFU Sevens Head of Athletic Performance, and includes players from all four provinces as well as Michael Cooke and James Langston from the IQ Rugby pathway. Ireland have a proud record in the U-18 European competition with title wins in both 2016 and 2017, along with a runners-up finish behind France last year. They head up Pool B at this weekend’s tournament, with games against Luxembourg, Russia and Georgia on Saturday. Cooke, Diarmuid Kilcommins, Josh O’Connor, Aaron Leahy, Moxham and McKee all represented Ireland at Under-18 level last season, across the U-18 Clubs, U-18 Schools, and U-18 Clubs & Schools teams. A number of the squad also featured for their respective schools in the provincial Schools Cup competitions earlier this year, including Kilkenny College’s Success Edogan and Rory Dwyer of Belvedere College, Ard Scoil Ris back rower Jack Ward Murphy, and RBAI talent Postlethwaite. The 12-team tournament will be run off across Saturday and Sunday, with live streaming available on www.rugbyeurope.tv. The pool line-ups and fixtures are available here on the Rugby Europe website. IRELAND UNDER-18 MEN’S SEVENS Squad (2019 Rugby Europe Under-18 Men’s Sevens Championship, Kompleks Sportowy Gdansk, Gdansk, Poland. Saturday, August 17-Sunday, August 18): Diarmuid Kilcommins (Galway Corinthians RFC/Connacht) Michael Cooke (Ealing Trailfinders RFC/IQ Rugby) James Langston (Wasps Rugby Academy/Harrow School/IQ Rugby) Success Edogun (Kilkenny College/Leinster) Josh O’Connor (Wexford Wanderers RFC/Leinster) Aaron Leahy (CBC Cork/Munster) Jack Ward Murphy (Garryowen FC/Ard Scoil Ris/Munster) Charlie Worth (Letterkenny RFC/Royal School Armagh/Ulster) (capt) Ben Moxham (Ballymena RFC/Ulster) Conor McKee (Sullivan Upper School/Ulster) Jude Postlethwaite (RBAI/Ulster) Rory Dwyer (Belvedere College/Leinster) Ireland U-18 Sevens Management – Head Coach: Allan Temple-Jones Manager: James Topping 2019 Rugby Europe U-18 Sevens – Ireland Fixtures: Saturday, August 17: Ireland v Luxembourg, Kompleks Sportowy Gdansk, 11.44am local time/10.44am Irish time Ireland v Russia, Kompleks Sportowy Gdansk, 2.29pm local time/1.29pm Irish time Ireland v Georgia, Kompleks Sportowy Gdansk, 5.14pm local time/4.14pm Irish time Sunday, August 18: Play-Offs & Finals