Leinster Development Squad Announced for Connacht Clash
Simon Broughton has announced a Leinster Rugby Development XV to face Connacht Rugby in the second interprovincial game to be held tomorrow in the IRFU High-Performance Centre in Abbotstown.
The game is part of a series of games being played in Abbotstown behind closed doors over the coming weeks to help players who have missed out on so much club and representative rugby over the last 18 months.
The team came up short against Ulster Rugby last weekend in a nail-biting 27-34 loss.
Broughton is keen on using these games as an opportunity to give game time to many future stars of Leinster Rugby.
Belvedere College player Dylan O’Grady starts at full back, with Fionn Gibbons on the right wing and Aitzol Arenzana-King, who scored two tries against Ulster, on the left.
In the centre former Blackrock College student Ben Brownlee lines up alongside Mullingar RFC man Conor Gibney.
Seanan Devereux wears the number nine jersey this week with Kilkenny College’s Charlie Tector outside him at ten. Tector kicked eight points from the tee last week.
There are though a number of changes in the pack.
Leinster Academy hooker John McKee again captains the side and is joined in the front row by Ben Popplewell who came off the bench last week and by another replacement last week Thomas Connolly at tighthead.
In the second row, Fionn McWey starts having been at blindside flanker against Ulster and he joins St Michael’s College’ Conor Ó Tighearnaigh.
Finally, in the back row, there are two changes on the flanks with Will McDonald and Dylan Ryan starting this week and Donough Lawlor again selected at No. 8.
Leinster Development Squad Announced for Connacht Clash
🏉 | The #LeinsterRugby development side has been named to face Connacht tomorrow in Abbotstown. 🙌
Read more: https://t.co/wcLymt8W9J#FromTheGroundUp pic.twitter.com/kOAZYyc73D
— Leinster Rugby (@leinsterrugby) September 17, 2021
Leinster Rugby Development XV vs. Connacht Rugby Development XV
15. Dylan O’Grady (Belvedere College)
14. Fionn Gibbons (Castleknock College)
13. Conor Gibney (CBS Mullingar/Mullingar RFC)
12. Ben Brownlee (Blackrock College)
11. Aitzol Arenzana-King (CUS/Balbriggan RFC)
10. Charlie Tector (Kilkenny College/Lansdowne FC)
9. Seanan Devereux (St. Mary’s College)
1. Ben Popplewell (Wexford Wanderers/Blackrock College)
2. John McKee (Old Belvedere RFC) CAPTAIN
3. Thomas Connolly (DUFC)
4. Fionn McWey (Cistercian College Roscrea)
5. Conor Ó Tighearnaigh (St. Michael’s College)
6. Will McDonald (IQ Rugby)
7. Dylan Ryan (St. Michael’s College/DUFC)
8. Donough Lawlor (Newbridge College)
Replacements:
16. Barry Gray (Colaiste Lorcáin, Castledermot/Clontarf FC)
17. Oisín Michel (Partrician Secondary School, Newbridge/Lansdowne FC)
18. Michael McCormack (St. Mary’s College RFC)
19. Paul Deeny (St. Peter’s College, Wexford/Clontarf FC)
20. Jonathan Ross (Belvedere College)
21. Conor Duggan (St. Vincent’s Castleknock College)
22. Daniel Hawkshaw (Belvedere College)
23. Callam O’Reilly (St. Michael’s College)
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