Murphy: No three-in-a-row talk for Ireland U20s

Ireland U20s boss Richie Murphy says there is no talk of three-in-a-row in the camp because it simply doesn't apply to his team.

The head coach yesterday named a 31-man squad for the upcoming championship, including four players who were part of last year’s Six Nations Grand Slam-winning panel.

That title was a second clean sweep in two years but due to the natural turnover in age-grade rugby, Murphy stresses that it’s a new team trying to make its own mark.

"They’re not connected because there’s nearly a whole new team," he said.

"One of the first questions I asked the group when they got together was how many of them have won a Grand Slam?

"Hardly any people put their hand up so they haven’t won anything as a team.

"It’s very much about the boring old thing about playing on the day that you’re in, trying to get through France [in the first round].

"If we get through France, we move on to Italy and hopefully we’ll run out of games at the end of it.

"It’s the only way I know to keep the players focused and motivated on getting better - being a performance-based team rather than results."

Munster’s Evan O’Connell (above), who alongside Hugh Gavin, Joe Hopes and Brian Gleeson played last season, was named captain and Murphy says he’s been impressed with what he’s seen so far.

"He showed some good leadership last year. He’s very professional, he does the daily grind of being a professional rugby player really well," he said.

"Since he’s come back into camp he has a presence within the room and is a nice calm head as well.

"I’m looking forward to working with Evan over the next couple of weeks and making sure that he’s ready for what will be a really tough test when we get to France."

Ireland also reached the final of the U20 World