Birr duo called up to Ireland rugby squads

Birr native Ronan Loughnane has been named in the Ireland team to play Scotland in the opening round of the U20 Six Nations championship tomorrow (Saturday), kick-off 2pm.

Loughnane - who studied in Cistercian College, Roscrea - has been selected at hooker in the front row.

Confirmation of a starting place for Loughnane against Scotland comes after fellow Birr man Peter Dooley was named in the Ireland senior rugby squad for the Vodafone Summer Series. The series will see Andy Farrell’s charges play Tests against Japan and the USA at the Aviva Stadium next month.

Leinster and Lansdowne player Dooley is uncapped at senior level. He started his rugby career with Birr RFC and has represented Ireland at underage level.

The match against Japan on Saturday, July 3 will kick off at 1pm, and this will be followed by the clash against the USA on Saturday, July 10 (kick-off 7.15pm).

Both fixtures are part of the government’s outdoor pilot sport event programme which will see limited supporters back in the Aviva Stadium.

Meanwhile, Ballinasloe duo Oisin McCormack and Shane Jennings - who both play for Buccaneers - have been handed starting berths in the Ireland U20 team named by head coach Richie Murphy.

Due to the condensed nature of the tournament, three extra players can be named on the replacements bench.

Munster back row Alex Kendellen captains the side for the Round 1 encounter at Cardiff Arms Park. Kendellen is one of five players in the match-day squad who featured in the PRO14 league this season, the others being Jamie Osborne, Ben Moxham, Alex Soroka and Tim Corkery.

The Ireland v Scotland match will be shown live on RTÉ 1.

Ireland v Scotland (U20 Six Nations):

15. Jamie Osborne (Naas CBS/Naas RFC/Leinster)

14. Ben Moxham (Larne High School/Ballymena RFC/Ulster)

13. Shane Jennings (Garbally College/Buccaneers RFC/Connacht)

12. Cathal Forde (Coláiste Iognáid/Corinthians RFC/Connacht)

11. Josh O'Connor (St Peter’s College/UCD RFC/Leinster)

10. James Humphreys (Dean Close School/Queen’s University Belfast RFC/Ulster)

9. Conor McKee (Sullivan Upper School/Queen’s University Belfast RFC/Ulster)

1. Temi Lasisi (CBS Enniscorthy/Lansdowne FC/Leinster)

2. Ronan Loughnane (Cistercian College Roscrea/UCD RFC/Leinster)

3. Sam Illo (Wesley College/Old Wesley RFC/Leinster)

4. Mark Morrissey (Blackrock College/UCD RFC/Leinster)

5. Harry Sheridan (Sullivan Upper School/Dublin University FC/Ulster)

6. Alex Soroka (Belvedere College/Clontarf RFC/Leinster)

7. Oisin McCormack (Garbally College/Buccaneers RFC/Connacht)

8. Alex Kendellen (PBC Cork/UCC RFC/Munster) (captain)

Replacements:

16. Eoin de Buitléar (Scoil Chuimsitheach Chiaráin/An Ghaeltacht/Corinthians RFC/Connacht)

17. Jack Boyle (St Michael’s College/UCD RFC/Leinster)

18. Mark Donnelly (CBC Cork/Garryowen RFC/Munster)

19. Jack Kelleher (PBC Cork/UCC RFC/Munster)

20. Reuben Crothers (Wallace High School/Ballynahinch RFC/Ulster)

21. Will Reilly (CBS Portlaoise/MU Barnhall/Leinster)

22. Tim Corkery (St Kieran’s College, Kilkenny/UCD RFC/Leinster)

23. Chris Cosgrave (St Michael’s College/UCD RFC/Leinster)

24. Donnacha Byrne (Summerhill College/Sligo RFC/Connacht)

25. Ben Carson (Wallace High School/Banbridge RFC/Ulster)

26. Daniel Okeke (Ard Scoil Rís/Shannon RFC/Munster).