Duffy hails cohesion of lightly-raced Ireland young guns

Nothing has come easy for teenagers in Ireland over the last two years but the absence of representative rugby hasn't held the latest batch of Ireland Under-20s back, it seems.

Covid-19 restrictions meant that many underage and junior teams did not get the benefit of moving through the representative ranks as they would have done previously.

Prior to the pandemic, graduates to the U20s would likely have seen action with current team-mates at provincial youths, schools and other underage grades and had a chance to develop some level of understanding and coherence.

However, Ireland's opening gambit in the Under-20s Six Nations, a 53-5 win over Wales, appears to have made light of that fact.

"[Just] how quickly the lads have gelled as a group and worked really hard for each other," replied forwards coach Jimmy Duffy when asked what pleased him most about the team’s performance.

"We wanted to play with a certain intensity in the game and have been building nicely towards that all through Christmas.

"It's been tough on this group, in particular, having not played any rugby at competitive level since they were at school.

"Covid being Covid, it has curtailed that development. To see the speed that lads played with in attack and defence was really pleasing."

Richie Murphy’s side ran in eight tries in a convincing victory that sets them up nicely for Friday night’s clash against France in Stade Maurice David in Aix-en Provence (8pm).

On the subject of how they have been able to play with such cohesion without competitive match practice, Duffy, who spent seven years as forwards coach with Connacht, said: "It’s probably something that Richie has said from the outset, he wanted the lads to compete throughout the week.

"Whether that be in gym