Ireland had quite a successful 2012 winning 8 of their 10 matches. Despite this they finished 3rd in the Six Nations in February and March and 5th the Junior World Championships in South Africa in June.
We have taken advantage of our site cleanup to review our historical coverage of international and provincial sides over the last 10 years. This article was written on Friday 5th February 2021 and has been entered retrospectively into the appropriate timeline.
2012 U20 Six Nations
Despite going into the final round undefeated Ireland ended up in third place, on points difference, following a defeat by England.
Results
03 Feb 2012
Ireland
11
6
Wales
Dubarry Park
11 Feb 2012
France
12
13
Ireland
Stade Des Alpes
24 Feb 2012
Ireland
27
8
Italy
Dubarry Park
09 Mar 2012
Ireland
26
0
Scotland
Dubarry Park
16 Mar 2012
England
20
9
Ireland
Adams Park
Standings
TEAM
P
W
PD
PTS
England
5
4
129
8
France
5
4
46
8
Ireland
5
4
40
8
Wales
5
2
(36)
4
Scotland
5
1
(101)
2
Italy
5
0
(78)
0
2012 U20 Six Nations – Final Standings
Players Used
Head coach Mike Ruddock, assisted by Allen Clarke, used a total of 27 players throughout the 2012 Six Nations. This was 10 players less than the previous season.
It was a settled squad with 19 players involved in all five squads and a core of seven players started every game.
Ireland finished the tournament with a 40 point surplus, scoring 86 points and conceding 46. Their points came from 7 tries, 3 conversions (43% conversion rate), 3 penalties and it was great to see 2 drop goals as well.
Jackson was the main kicker for the second successive season picking up 45 points from the boot, including 3 from a drop. Shane Layden was the lead try scorer with 3 tries over the tournament. Worthy of note is Luke McGrath‘s 8 points which also included 3 from a drop goal.
PLAYER
T
C
P
DG
PTS
Paddy Jackson
3
12
1
45
Shane Layden
3
15
Luke McGrath
1
1
8
Foster Horan
1
5
Iain Henderson
1
5
Jack Conan
1
5
JJ Hanrahan
1
3
Totals
7
3
13
2
86
Ireland U20 2012 Six Nations Squad – Scorers
2012 IRB Junior World Championship
The 2012 JWC was played in South Africa with Ireland based in Stellenbosch in Pool B alongside England and hosts South Africa for the second year with Italy making up the group.
Despite losing top scorers Jackson and Layden from the Six Nations squad, Ireland lost only one game in, a very competitive group and were unlucky to miss out on a top four finish by a single bonus point. South Africa topped the pool, despite their opening day loss to Ireland, and the host team went on to win the tournament.
Ireland ended up in the 5th – 8th playoffs and finished 5th after big wins against England and France. Their win against England gave Ireland a great deal of satisfaction after England had beaten them in the pool stages. Ireland’s 5th place finish was their highest to date
Results
04 Jun 2012
South Africa
19
23
Ireland
Danie Craven Stadium
08 Jun 2012
England
20
15
Ireland
Danie Craven Stadium
12 Jun 2012
Ireland
41
12
Italy
Cape Town Stadium
17 Jun 2012
Ireland
27
12
England
Western Cape Stadium
22 Jun 2012
France
7
18
Ireland
Newlands Stadium
Pool Standings
POOL B
PL
W
PD
BP
PTS
South Africa
3
2
58
3
11
Ireland
3
2
28
2
10
England
3
2
51
1
9
Italy
3
0
(137)
0
0
2012 JWC – Pool B Standings
Final Rankings
1. South Africa, 2. New Zealand, 3. Wales, 4. Argentina, 5. Ireland, 6. France, 7. England, 8. Australia, 9. Scotland, 10. Samoa, 11. Fiji, 12. Italy.
Players Used
There were 28 players used during the World Championships with Callum O’Connell, Daniel Qualter, Diarmuid Higgins, McCall, Jackson and Layden dropping out, or withdrawn from the Six Nations squad.
Ireland ended their tournament with a surfeit of 54 points having scored an impressive 124 points and conceding 70. The points came from 13 tries, 10 conversions (77% conversion rate), 12 penalties and 1 drop goal.
PLAYER
T
C
P
DG
PTS
JJ Hanrahan,
1
6
11
1
53
Jack Carty
4
1
11
Iain Henderson
2
10
Jordan Coghlan,
2
10
Peter Nelson
2
10
Aaron Conneely
1
5
Barry Daly
1
5
Chris Farrell
1
5
James Rael
1
5
Kieran Marmion
1
5
Luke McGrath
1
5
TOTALS
13
10
12
1
124
Ireland U20 2012 JWC Squad – Scorers
JJ Hanrahan took over the main kicking duties and clocked up 53 points over the tournament, including 5 from a try. Ulster’s Henderson and Nelson tied with Leinster’s Jordan Coghlan as the leading try scorers on two tries each.
Season Review
This was Ireland U20’s most successful season to date with an overall 76% points pick up over the 10 games. But for a couple of minor glitches against their old rivals, England, it could have been a Six Nations and World Championship double.
As it was, they ended up with an 80% points pick up in the Six Nations and a 72% points pick up in the World Championships and they will have taken a lot of pleasure in getting revenge over England, the only side to have beaten them this season, in the World Championship semi finals.
Players Used
There were 34 players used throughout the season as Ruddock and Clarke looked for a season of consolidation. There were nine players involved in all ten squads with Henderson and Jack Conan starting every game.
PLAYER
CLUB
PROVINCE
START
BENCH
SQUADS
T
C
P
DG
PTS
Iain Henderson
Queen’s University
Ulster
10
0
10
3
15
Jack Conan
Old Belvedere
Leinster
10
0
10
1
5
Chris Farrell
Dungannon
Ulster
9
1
10
1
5
Des Merrey
Clontarf
Leinster
6
4
10
0
Kieran Marmion
Corinthians
Connacht
6
4
10
1
5
Peter Reilly
Lansdowne
Leinster
5
5
10
0
Tadgh Beirne
Lansdowne
Leinster
5
5
10
0
Luke McGrath
UCD
Leinster
4
6
10
2
1
13
James Rael
Garryowen
Munster
2
8
10
1
5
JJ Hanrahan
UL Bohemian
Munster
9
0
9
1
6
12
1
56
Foster Horan
Lansdowne
Leinster
8
1
9
1
5
Niall Scannell
Dolphin
Munster
8
1
9
0
Aaron Conneely
Corinthians
Connacht
5
4
9
1
5
Jordan Coghlan
UCD
Leinster
5
4
9
2
10
Jake Cawley
Old Belvedere
Leinster
0
9
9
0
Conor Gilsenan
UCD
Leinster
7
0
7
0
Stuart Olding
Belfast Harlequins
Ulster
2
5
7
0
Conor Finn
Buccaneers
Connacht
5
1
6
0
Cathal Marsh
Trinity College
Leinster
0
6
6
0
Barry Daly
UCD
Leinster
5
0
5
1
5
Kyle McCall
Ballynahinch
Ulster
5
0
5
0
Paddy Jackson
Dungannon
Ulster
5
0
5
3
12
1
45
Peter Nelson
Dungannon
Ulster
5
0
5
2
10
Sam Coghlan Murray
UCD
Leinster
5
0
5
0
Shane Layden
Buccaneers
Connacht
5
0
5
3
15
Daniel Qualter
Buccaneers
Connacht
4
1
5
0
Tadhg Furlong
Clontarf
Leinster
4
1
5
0
Alan O’Connor
UCD
Leinster
3
2
5
0
Jack Carty
Buccaneers
Connacht
1
4
5
4
1
11
Shane Buckley
Garryowen
Munster
0
4
4
0
Mikey Sherlock
Clontarf
Leinster
1
2
3
0
Josh Van Der Flier
UCD
Leinster
1
0
1
0
Callum O’Connell
Galwegians
Connacht
0
1
1
0
Diarmuid Higgins
Buccaneers
Connacht
0
1
1
0
Check Sum
150
80
230
20
13
25
3
210
2012 Ireland U20 Players Used
JJ Hanrahan ended the season as the leading scorer with 56 points and Iain Henderson and Shane Layden tied for leading try scorer with 3 tries each but unfortunately we couldn’t find a confirmed pic of Layden. 🙁
JJ Hanrahan
Leading Scorer 2012
Iain Henderson
Leading Try Scorer 2012
Provincial Contributions
Leinster once again topped the player contributions, supplying 16 players to the squads. Connacht were next with 8 players, followed by Ulster on 6 and Munster with 4.
Ulster’s contribution did increase with 26% actual starts with Leinster out in front with 46% starts. Ulster did however make the largest contribution for points scored, bringing home 36% of the total.
Corrections, comments or questions?