Six young Buccs in Ireland U-20 panel
No less than six young Buccaneers featured in the Ireland U-20 squad who defeated a Leinster Development side in the now traditional pre-Christmas annual trial game at Donnybrook.
The U20s were generally in control and, despite allowing Leinster twice narrow the arrears, the boys in green eased to a 40-15 victory.
Four Buccs started the game. Shane Layden at fullback and Callum Boland and Conor Finn on the wings with Daniel Qualter a towering presence throughout in the second row. Prop Diarmuid Higgins and out-half Jack Carty were both half-time substitutes with the latter making a notable contribution with a try plus two conversions.
There are high hopes in the club that at least half of these lads will make the final cut and, while that would likely mean they will be "cotton-wooled" until after the U-20 Six Nations Championship and thus unavailable for Buccaneers Ulster Bank League fixtures during that period, it will be splendid news for these talented and focused players.
Ireland, of course, will again play their home U-20 Six Nations Championship fixtures in Athlone this season with all three games being covered live on RTE TV. These matches are as follows: Friday, February 3rd v WALES; Friday, February 24th v ITALY; Friday, March 9th v SCOTLAND.
All three fixtures in Dubarry Park kick-off at 7.05pm and tickets will be on sale shortly at the club.
Meanwhile, a number of other rising young Buccaneers stars are involved in other Ireland underage squads, notably the U-19 panel where Robert Henshaw and Barry Digby are included, while Scott Flanagan is named in the U-18 Clubs panel.
