Home side's high expectations

Under 19 World Cup: Johnny Watterson on the 2007 version of a tournament that has served as a breeding ground for some of Ireland's top senior players, including skipper Brian O'Driscoll

Irish secondrow Donncha O'Callaghan, outhalf Paddy Wallace and centre Brian O'Driscoll were team-mates when Ireland won the Under-19 World Championship back in 1998. All three played a part in last weekend's win over England in Croke Park.

While it has always been far from a certainty that players who compete at Under-19 World Cup level - and occasionally go on to win it - will some day play for Ireland, it's a good bet that several of them will come through to the senior team.

Ireland captain O'Driscoll turned up yesterday to support the announcement that this year's under-19 event in Belfast will be sponsored by the Kingspan Group. Over 700 players from 24 nations will descend on the city between April 4th and the 21st for the IRB Under-19 World Championship 2007.

O'Driscoll recalls the quarter-final against South Africa in the year Ireland won it. Ireland were 17-0 down but pegged the Springboks back to send the match into penalties.

"It went to penalty kicks and we won those on a technicality because they had used one of their players that hadn't finished the game as one of their five kickers," he recalls. "We had lost in the penalties 4-3, I think. Yeah, I did indeed take one. It didn't go over, though.

"I was goal-kicker as well then. I'd been banging them over from everywhere, from the touchline and then a penalty from 40 out. I don't know what it was (why he missed). Concentration lapsed and I grazed the post. It wasn't one of my finer moments."

All we can surmise from that episode in the player's development is that missing a penalty at the Under-19 World Cup finals is absolutely no hindrance to having a spectacular senior career. O'Driscoll was playing at inside centre then, with Shane Moore outside him, which was peculiar enough.

"He played outside, which was strange because I was a good bit quicker. He was the one that had the hands," observes O'Driscoll. The two also went on to play together at UCD, where Moore was captain for a number of years. Ireland, of course, moved forward to the finals and eventually defeated home side France 18-0 in the Toulouse final.

"At the time it was the major highlight," says O'Driscoll. "How it rates now? It doesn't rate as highly as a lot that I've done because I've had some great days. As much as underage rugby is great, there is nothing like senior rugby. The standard is 100 times greater.

"But I wouldn't take anything away from it. For anyone who has played 19s, it's a stepping-stone. That's what it is. You look at the likes of great players like Dan Carter, they have come all through this."

The 2006 tournament, held in Dubai, was won by the Australians, who are bound to again figure in the final mix along with the usual suspects, New Zealand, England, France and, of course, Ireland. Given Ireland's good showing in this year's Six Nations Championship at Under-20 level and their recent win over England in Dubarry Park, there will be some expectations placed on the home side too.

"I think it does give you a taste for professional rugby," adds O'Driscoll. "And yeah, it gives you a taste for success as well. That counts for a hell of a lot. Once you get a taste for it you get selfish and you want more."

The matches will be spread out around Belfast city, from Ravenhill to the Queen's University ground, The Dub, Harlequins at Deramore and out as far as Bangor on the east coast.