Hodnett and Wycherley named in Ireland U20 squad for Six Nations

ROSSCARBERY’S John Hodnett and Bantry’s Josh Wycherley have both been included in Ireland’s squad for the 2019 U20 Six Nations Championship.

UCC student John, son of Dan and Margo, and the youngest of four, is an all-rounder when it comes to sport. He has played underage with Carbery Rangers while he joined Clonakilty RFC at U10 level and progressed up through the ranks.

John has also been involved in the Munster set-up the last number of years, and has featured for the Munster A team too this season, recently coming on in back row in the interpro win against Leinster A, a match that also saw Gavin Coombes and Liam Coombes play.

Powerful and strong, UCC back rower John is hard to stop and he showed that when he was on the try trail for the Ireland U20s over the festive period, scoring against both the Munster A/Development team and a Leinster Development side.

Meanwhile, Josh Wycherley is the younger brother of Fineen, who signed his first professional contract with Munster in late 2018.

Loosehead prop and Young Munster clubman Josh (19) is in the Munster sub-academy and is another highly-fancied prospect that has played in the Celtic Cup this season. In fact, both Josh and Fineen played together against the Ospreys in the Celtic Cup last September, their first-time playing together.

Both Hodnett and Wycherley are uncapped at Irish U20 level and only five of the 40-man squad hold caps.

For West Cork rugby fans, there is more good news as Ireland will play their two home games against England and France in Irish Independent Park.

First up, Ireland host England on Friday week, February 1st in Irish Independent Park at 7.15pm, also live on RTÉ. Their second fixtures sees them travel to Netherdale outside Edinburgh to take on Scotland.

Ireland are on the road again for their third fixture against Italy in Rieti on February 22nd, before facing France back in Irish Independent Park on March 8th, also live on RTÉ. Their final game of the tournament is away to Wales on the 15th March in Colwyn Bay.

Tickets for the home fixtures in Irish Independent Park are available from www.ticketmaster.ie