'We knew we could be the team we wanted to be': Ireland U20s savour their Triple Crown
DESPITE ENDURING A difficult start to the tournament in Perpignan a little over five weeks ago, fly-half Tom Wood always had faith Ireland would find their form in this year’s U20 Six Nations.
Coming into the latest edition of the Championship on the back of a bottom-place finish in 2025, Andrew Browne’s side suffered a comprehensive 50-21 defeat away to defending champions France in the opening round on 7 February.
Yet – in a similar vein to the Ireland seniors in their own Six Nations campaign – they subsequently got themselves back on track with a bonus-point victory at home to Italy six days later.
Further wins followed against England and Wales either side of a fallow week at the end of February, which put them in line for a Triple Crown success heading into Sunday’s final round showdown with Scotland at Virgin Media Park in Cork.
With player of the match Wood – the son of former Ireland, Munster and Lions hooker Keith Wood – converting six of the seven tries that his side scored in an eventual 47-14 triumph, this was achieved in confident fashion.
“We didn’t have the greatest start, but I always believed in what we had,” Wood told RTÉ after the game.
“We got unlucky, France were much better on the day [in the opening round], but I think the way we’ve built since that game has just been incredible.
We really got behind each other after it. We knew we could do better. I’m really happy how we went on.
“We all love playing with this team. It’s such a great group of lads, we love coming down to camp. We love spending the week together, we’re real close with our coaches. It’s as good an environment as you want to be in. Honestly, it’s the most enjoyable part of rugby at the minute.”
Courtesy of converted five-pointers from Duinn Maguire, Derry Moloney, Rob Carney and Ben Blaney, Ireland had already secured a bonus point before the opening half reached a conclusion in the Leeside venue.
They did concede a brace of tries to Scotland in a second period that was initially cagey, but additional finishes from Johnny O’Sullivan, Christopher Barrett and Christian Foley ensured Ireland finished as tournament runners-up behind France.
Sami Bishti and Tom Wood celebrate after the match. Ben Brady / INPHO
Ben Brady / INPHO / INPHO
To record four successive wins and earn a Triple Crown on the back of such a tough opening to the U20 Six Nations makes it a productive campaign overall for Ireland, however, and team captain Sami Bishti is delighted with how things have ultimately panned out for the side.
“It’s absolutely incredible, it’s so cool,” Bishti said to RTÉ.
“Especially for the senior team to do it yesterday [win a Triple Crown] and we were obviously truly inspired by them.
For us to come out today and do it, it’s a credit to all the hard work we’ve put in throughout the tournament.
“From where we came from in the first game to now, it’s definitely something we would have taken.
“Obviously that result [against France] didn’t come our way, but we knew if we kind of threw the toys out of the pram, it would only infest itself more within the team. We had to park it, get rid of it, focus on our job. We knew we could be the team we wanted to be.”
