A school with a long history in rugby, another chapter opens for Kilkenny College this week when Form 6 student Stephen Smyth takes to Terenure RFC this Wednesday.
The Irish Under 19 rugby team will play two fixtures against Japan this week with Smyth selected as captain. He’ll be joined by fellow Kilkenny College student Sean Naughton who is expected to start from the bench on Wednesday, though may start on Sunday with different squads set to line out on each day at the same venue. The team will also take on France in two international friendlies in April.
Per IrishRugby.ie, a squad of 24 is preparing for this Wednesday’s fixture at the IRFU High Performance Centre under head coach Mark Butler (Munster Rugby) and assistant coaches Andrew Browne (Connacht Rugby) and Johnny Graham (Ulster Rugby).
Ireland take on Japan for the first time this week at 2.4pm on Wednesday before meeting again at 6pm on Sunday.
Ireland U19 Men Squad
- Theo Bishop (IQ Rugby/Hartpury College)
- Tadhg Brophy (Leinster/Newbridge College)
- David Colbert (Leinster/Dublin University FC)
- Adam Deay (Leinster/Lansdowne FC)
- Ethan Graham (Ulster/Ballynahinch RFC)
- Sean Hopkins (Connacht/St Muredach’s College/Ballina RFC)
- Ben Howard (Leinster/St Michael’s College)
- Stephen Kiely (Munster/Old Crescent RFC)
- Tom Larke (Leinster/St. Columbas College/Old Wesley RFC)
- Mark Lee (Ulster/Rainey Old Boys RFC)
- Ben McFarlane (Ulster/Methodist College)
- James McKillop (Ulster/Foyle College)
- Jack Murphy (Leinster/Presentation College Bray) vice captain
- Sean Naughton (Leinster/Kilkenny College)
- Luke O’Connor (Leinster/Lansdowne FC)
- James O’Loughlin (Leinster/Naas RFC)
- Jake O’Riordan (Munster/St. Munchin’s College)
- Oisin Pepper (Munster/St. Munchin’s College)
- Jacob Sheahan (Munster/UCC RFC)
- Charlie Sheridan (Leinster/Naas RFC)
- Stephen Smyth (Leinster/Kilkenny College) captain
- Zac Solomon (Ulster/Belfast Harlequins RFC)
- Josh Stevens (Ulster/Methodist College)
- Richard Whelan (Leinster/Cistercian College Roscrea)
There’s more good news on the rugby front for Kilkenny College with the addition of fifth-year students Paddy Bramley and Adam Watchorn to the Ireland Under 18s Clubs & Schools squad.
