Ian Costello comfortable with inclusion of just five Munster players in Ireland U20 Six Nations squad

Daire Walsh

Ahead of his debut Six Nations campaign with the side, Ireland U20s head coach Neil Doak has heaped praise on team captain Éanna McCarthy.

A native of Cork, McCarthy is set to lead out his country in this year’s championship – beginning with an opener against title holders England in the familiar surroundings of Virgin Media Park on the Leeside on January 30.

When you consider six players are returning from last year’s set-up, it is quite a feat for McCarthy to be tasked with this key leadership role in his maiden season at this international grade.

Yet on the basis of what he has seen to date from the Connacht Academy star (particularly in the recent warm-up game against a Leinster Development side), Doak believes he has the ability to lead his Irish side into battle.

“You look at that game last week, Éanna led from the front. When we put the squad together and put the management together, and tried to build what we were about… for me I’m a bit more action orientated. I want to get in the middle, I want to do things,” Doak remarked at a squad announcement in PwC’s headquarters in Dublin on Tuesday.

“I want to give the players the best opportunity to deliver. Éanna last week, he was physical, he was direct. We’re going to need that in abundance against England first up. If he can lead from the front, we can get the rest of the squad in behind him and we’ll be in a good spot