Rugby

Wilhelm de Klerk excels as Ireland cling on for victory over Italy in U-20s international at Belfield

The Irish Under-20s will play Munster and Leinster Development XVs ahead of the Six Nations

Ireland lacked cohesion at times, as befits a scratch side that have been stitched together on the back of seven training sessions. Photograph: Ben Brady/Inpho
Ireland lacked cohesion at times, as befits a scratch side that have been stitched together on the back of seven training sessions. Photograph: Ben Brady/Inpho
John O'Sullivan
Fri Dec 15 2023 - 19:00

Ireland Under-20 35 Italy Under-20 29

Italy have dominated this traditional pre-Christmas fixture in recent years but on this occasion Richie Murphy’s Ireland side just about clung on for a win in benign conditions, sunshine and a modest breeze, before a couple of hundred spectators.

The Ireland team, who won successive Under-20 Six Nations Grand Slams and reached the Junior World Championship final in South Africa in the summer, contained a few familiar faces from last season, notably captain and centre Hugh Gavin, hooker Danny Sheahan and secondrow Evan O’Connell.

Last season’s standout player, number eight Brian Gleeson is with the Munster squad for their Champions Cup match against the Exeter Chiefs, so too Ben O’Connor, who is eligible for this age-grade team this year. Leinster’s Sam Berman will also be returning while there are several others, potential frontline players, who missed the game through injury.

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One player who took his opportunity was centre Wilhelm de Klerk, the catalyst for Ireland’s best attacking moments, all of which were shoehorned into the first half. Scrumhalf Oliver Coffey had a super game, outhalf Jack Murphy, Richie’s son, is an accomplished footballer, while his former schoolmate at Pres Bray, Finn Treacy and fullback Tom Larke enjoyed some eye-catching moments.

Italy took the lead with an early penalty but thereafter the home side took over for large tranches of the first half. Murphy’s long cut-out pass gave Treacy an unopposed run-in for the first try and thereafter it became something of the de Klerk show from an Ireland attacking context.

He was on hand to carry on a fine break from the excellent O’Connell, a forerunner following a close range softening up process for influential number eight Bryn Ward, a son of former Irish international, Andy. De Klerk took a good line for his try, made the definitive breaks in the tries scored by Gavin and left wing Ethan Graham.

Ireland lacked cohesion at times, as befits a scratch side that have been stitched together on the back of seven training sessions, conceding a couple of tries to brittle fringe defence and a turnover. Ireland led 35-17 at halftime and did not score again. The post-interval fare was ragged, both teams losing shape and cohesion as a tsunami of replacements materialised, largely in gluts of three or four players.

The Italian scrum forced seven of eight penalties late-on in sight of the Irish posts, during which time Ireland had two players dispatched to the sin bin. The visitors scored two tries but were beaten by the clock in their attempts to rescue a win. The Irish Under-20s will play Munster (Friday, December 29th, Musgrave Park) and Leinster (January 5th, Energia Park) Development XVs ahead of the Six Nations.

Scoring sequence.

3 mins: Pucciariello pen, 0-3; 9: Treacy try, Murphy conversion, 7-3; 12: B Ward try, Murphy conversion, 3-14; 20: De Klerk try, Murphy conversion, 3-21 23: Casilio try, Pucciariello conversion, 21-10; 26: Gavin try, Murphy conversion, 28-10; 39: Gritti try, Pucciariello conversion, 28-17; 40 (+2): Graham try, Murphy conversion, 35-17. Half-time: 35-17. 74: Botturi try, de Villiers conversion, 35-24; 88: Scalabrin try, 35-29.

Ireland U-20: Tom Larke (Old Wesley); Finn Treacy (Galwegians), Hugh Gavin (Galwegians, capt), Wilhelm de Klerk (UCD), Ethan Graham (Ballynahinch RFC); Jack Murphy (Clontarf), Oliver Coffey (Blackrock College); Alex Usanov (Clontarf), Danny Sheahan (Cork Constitution), Andrew Sparrow (UCD); Mikey O’Reilly (Terenure College), Evan O’Connell (UL Bohemian); Joe Hopes (QUB), M Flynn (Galway Corinthians), Bryn Ward (Ballynahinch). Replacements (all used): Flynn Longstaff (QUB), Stephen Smyth (Old Wesley), Jacob Boyd (QUB), Sean Edogbo (UCC), R Whelan (Clontarf), Luke Kritzinger (UCD), Will Wootton (Sale Sharks), Sean Naughton (Galway Corinthians), Jules Fenelon (Dublin University), Patreece Bell (Sale Sharks), Billy Corrigan (Old Wesley).

Italy U-20: M Belloni; M Scalabrin, L Elettri, L Nanni, F Bini: M Pucciariello, L Casilio; F Pisani, V Siciliano, D Ascari: T Redondi; P Gritti; L Bellucci, C Zucconi, J Botturi (capt). Replacements (all used): V Padoan, N Gasperini, S Pellicioli, M Gallorini, A Toninelli, M Jimenez, G Cinquegrani, P De Villiers, O D’Alessandro, L Belloni, F Imberti.

Referee: J Neville (IRFU).

Yellow cards: A Usanov (Ireland) 70 mins; P Bell (Ireland) 82 mins.

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John O'Sullivan

John O'Sullivan

John O'Sullivan is an Irish Times sports writer

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