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IRFU confirm Ireland U20s replacement for Richie Murphy

Ireland U20s coach Richie Murphy (Photo by World Rugby via Getty Images)

The Irish Rugby Football Union (IRFU) has confirmed a new look coaching team for the Ireland U20s at the upcoming World Rugby U20 Championship in South Africa.

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Willie Faloon is set to lead the team as the head coach following Richie Murphy’s appointment as the head coach for Ulster Rugby. Murphy took over from Dan McFarland on an interim basis but, as first reported by RugbyPass, Ulster have decided to keep Murphy on a permanent basis. Faloon – previously the Ireland U20s defence coach – has experience from the last two U20 Six Nations and the previous World Rugby U20 Championship.

Former Munster and Ireland flyahalf Ian Keatley will continue as the attack and backs coach, with Aaron Dundon retaining his role as forwards coach.

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Former Ireland international and Ulster halfback Neil Doak joins the team as a senior Coach, adding significant experience to the setup after coaching stints for Ireland U18s and Combined Academies.

Peter Smyth, IRFU Head of Elite Player Development, said: “We would like to firstly congratulate Richie on his new role with Ulster. He has done an exceptional job with the Ireland U20s in recent seasons and on behalf of all the management and players, we wish him well for the remainder of the season with Ulster and beyond.

“It was important for us to maintain consistency within our group so we are pleased to confirm the appointment of Willie as Ireland U20s Head Coach for this summer, with Aaron and Ian continuing in their roles and Neil joining the team as a Senior Coach.

“A World Rugby U20 Championship is always an exciting challenge and coming off the back of the Six Nations, the group are motivated to work hard in the weeks ahead to put themselves in the best position to perform against the world’s best in South Africa.”

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Enda McDonagh, Managing Partner, PwC Ireland, added: “On behalf of PwC, I would like to acknowledge Richie’s immense contribution to the success of the Ireland U20s in recent years, and thank him for the work he and the wider coaching team have done in laying the foundations for the tournaments ahead, starting with South Africa this summer.

“I would like to congratulate Willie on his appointment as Ireland U20s Head Coach for the World Rugby U20 Championship and wish him every success in the weeks and months ahead as he and the staff prepare our squad for another exciting summer of U20s rugby. Everyone at PwC is looking forward to supporting the team again on the world stage.”

The World Rugby U20s Championship will take place from June 29 to July 19 in Stellenbosch and Cape Town, Western Cape. The specific Pool schedule will be announced by World Rugby at the end of the month. In preparation for the championship, the Ireland U20s will engage in three Challenge Matches against Irish Universities on May 24, Ulster ‘A’ on June 1, and Munster ‘A’ on June 7. These matches are part of their preparations before departing for South Africa.

The Ireland U20s team for the tour will be named in June.

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f
fl 23 minutes ago
What is the future of rugby in 2025?

on the article "Why defensive aggressor Felix Jones will drive new-look England" I said:


"Look at the kick:pass ratio from England’s games under Borthwick:

Italy 20:100

Argentina 50:100

South Africa 53:100

Fiji 24:100

Samoa 22:100

Chile 12:100

Japan 25:100

Argentina 55:100

Fiji 30:100

Ireland 21:100

Wales 24:100

Wales 13:100

Ireland 26:100

France 22:100

Wales 26:100

Italy 23:100

Scotland 18:100

The average is 27:100

The average in games we have won is 28:100

The average in games we have lost is 26:100, but these averages are skewed by the fact that we have tended to kick less and pass more against worse sides

The average in games where we have beaten current top 10 sides is 35:100

The average in games where we have beaten current top 8 sides is 39:100

The average in games where we have beaten current top 7 sides is 53:100

The average in games where we have lost to teams currently ranked lower than us is 20:100"


on the article "Four talking points after England's narrowest-ever win over Italy" I said:


"Look at the kick:pass ratio from England’s last 8 games

Italy 20:100

Argentina 50:100

South Africa 53:100

Fiji 24:100

Samoa 22:100

Chile 12:100

Japan 25:100

Argentina 55:100

So (1) England spread it wide more yesterday than against anyone bar Chile, and (2) all of england’s best performances have been when we kick loads, and in every match where we kick loads we have had a good performance."


"In particular you're neglecting the impact of the type of D Felix Jones was trying to introduce, which demanded most of England's training energy at the time."


I'm not, actually, I'm hyper aware of that fact and of its impact. I think it is because of the defence that England's new attack faltered so much for the first three games, something you ignore when you try to judge England's attack in the six nations by taking an average of either the trys scored or the rucks completed over the whole tournament.


"International coaches don't just pick those styles like sweets from a sweet shop!"

Yeah, I know. England's defence wasn't exactly the same as SA's, but it was similar. England's attack did rely on turnovers more than the Irish system did, but it was still pretty similar to it, and then shifted to something similar-but-not-identitcal to the Labit/Nick Evans systems, which are themselves similar but not identical.

102 Go to comments
f
fl 1 hour ago
The Fergus Burke test and rugby's free market

"So who were these 6 teams and circumstances of Marcus's loses?"


so in the 2023 six nations, England lost both games where Marcus started at 10, which was the games against Scotland and France. The scotland game was poor, but spirited, and the french game was maybe the worst math england have played in almost 30 years. In all 3 games where Marcus didn't start England were pretty good.


The next game he started after that was the loss against Wales in the RWC warmups, which is one of only three games Borthwick has lost against teams currently ranked lower than england.


The next game he's started have been the last 7, so that's two wins against Japan, three losses against NZ, a loss to SA, and a loss to Australia (again, one of borthwicks only losses to teams ranked lower than england).


"I think I understand were you're coming from, and you make a good observation that the 10 has a fair bit to do with how fast a side can play (though what you said was a 'Marcus neutral' statement)"


no, it wasn't a marcus neutral statement.


"Fin could be, but as you've said with Marcus, that would require a lot of change elsewhere in the team 2 years out of a WC"


how? what? why? Fin could slot in easily; its Marcus who requires the team to change around him.


"Marcus will get a 6N to prove himself so to speak"


yes, the 2022 six nations, which was a disaster, just as its been a disaster every other time he's been given the reigns.

224 Go to comments
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