Edward Byrne joins his twin brother and fellow frontrower Bryan in a 28-strong Ireland under-20 squad for next month’s IRB Junior World Championships in Brittany.
Prop Ed and hooker Bryan were part of the formidable Clongowes Wood pack of recent years and are both on the books of the Leinster Academy.
Ed is one of five players to be brought in by head coach Mike Ruddock from the Six Nations campaign.
Adam Byrne, who featured in the recent British & Irish Cup semi-final for Leinster at outside centre, is joined by talented Leinster Academy flanker Daniel Leavy, Lansdowne centre Thomas Farrell and Munster Academy backrow Jack O’Donoghue.
Leinster scrumhalf Luke McGrath will captain the side in the absence of Robbie Henshaw and Stuart Olding, who are both on duty with the Ireland senior team.
Ireland are in a strong pool B alongside New Zealand, Australia and Fiji and get their tournament underway with a game against the Wallabies at Stade de la Rabine in Vannes on June 5th.
IRELAND U-20 SQUAD (for IRB Junior Rugby World Championship, Vannes, France): Adam Boland (Lansdowne/Connacht), Edward Byrne (UCD/Leinster), Adam Byrne (UCD/Leinster), Bryan Byrne (UCD/Leinster), Steve Crosbie (Old Belvedere/Leinster); Thomas Daly (Lansdowne/Leinster); John Donnan (Ballynahinch/Ulster); Peter Dooley (Leinster); Thomas Farrell (Lansdowne/Leinster); Ryan Furniss (Worcester/Exile); Conor Joyce (Malone/Ulster); Darragh Leader (Galwegians/Connacht); Daniel Leavy (UCD/Leinster); Seán McCarthy (Shannon/Munster); Luke McGrath (UCD/Leinster) Captain; George McGuigan (Newcastle Falcons/Exile); Ryan Murphy (Dolphin/Munster); Jack O'Donoghue (UL Bohemians/Munster); David Panther (Corinthians/Connacht); Mark Roche (Lansdowne/Connacht); Rory Scannell (Dolphin/Munster); Rory Scholes (Belfast Harlequins /Ulster); David Shanahan (Clontarf/Leinster); Darren Sweetnam (UCC/Munster); Christopher Taylor (Malone/Ulster); Gavin Thornbury (UCD/Leinster); Peadar Timmins (UCD/Leinster); Josh Van Der Flier (UCD/Leinster).
Pool B Fixtures (Irish times, all games at Stade de la Rabine, Vannes) – June 5th: Ireland v Australia, 5.45pm; New Zealand v Fiji, 7.45pm; June 9th: Ireland v Fiji, 5.45pm; New Zealand v Australia, 7.45pm; June 13th: New Zealand v Ireland, 5.45pm ; Australia v Fiji., 7.45pm.
Leinster Academy 2013/14 – Year 1: Adam Byrne, Steve Crosbie, Thomas Daly, Billy Dardis, Peter Dooley, Ross Molony.
Year 2: Bryan Byrne, Ed Byrne, Tadhg Beirne, Jack Conan, Dan Leavy, Cathal Marsh, Gavin Thornbury, Josh van der Flier.
Year 3: Andrew Boyle, Jordan Coghlan, Sam Coghlan-Murray, Tadhg Furlong, Conor Gilsenan, Luke McGrath, Colm O'Shea, James Tracy.
