The Irish Exiles U18s have named their squad to face Boys Club of Wales on Sunday.
The Exiles have named a 24 man squad for the 2.30pm kick off at Methyr RFC , with a huge number of different schools represented.
Wellington College see two players selected, Alessandro Heaney and Michael O’Donoghue, as do local rivals Hampton, with Patrick Silcox and Aidan Bary both in the squad.
Truro School also have two players in the squad, Callum Penry and Alfie Burns. It is a squad dominated by the regular schools rugby scene, with only Rory Green-Molloy of Hartpury College and Connor Geier of Brooksby Melton College from the AASE League schools.
All 24 will be hoping to follow in the footsteps of the likes of former Epsom College scrum half Niall Saunders and Sedbergh outside half Johnny McPhillips who went through the Exiles programme to end up representing Ireland at U20 level and now ply their trade at Harlequins and Ulster respectively.
Irish internationals Kieran Treadwell and Kieran Marmion have also come through the Exiles programme at various points, so too former Cranleigh pupil Sam Arnold, who is in line to make his Ireland debut on Saturday from the bench.
For all twenty-four it is a golden opportunity, and a wonderful achievement.
Irish Exiles U18 v Boys Club of Wales – Sunday, 2.30pm, Methyr RFC
Irish Exiles U18 Squad:
Alessandro Heaney (Wellington College), Caleb Douglas (Ellesmere College), Oisiin Kearney (Millfield), Liam Bishop (Trent College), Pierce Holland (Samuel Whitbread), Darragh Connelly (Richard Hale), Darragh Gleeson (City of London Freemen’s), Seb Jones (Bishop Wordsworth’s), Dave Coleman (Reading Blue Coat), Tom Donnellan (Hills Road), Alfie Burns (Truro), Raef Murphy (St John’s, Leatherhead), Alastair Merrill (St Ambrose College), Rory Green-Molloy (Hartpury College), Ethan Vicker (Lasswade HS), Jack O’Regan (Welbeck), Michael O’Donoghue (Wellington College), Callum Penry (Truro), Benedict Quinn (St Peter’s, York), Patrick Silcox (Hampton), Connor Geier (Brooksby Melton), Kyle O’Mahoney (Strodes College), Jack Breen (Portsmouth Grammar), Aidan Barry (Hampton).
