When the Six Nations was halted in March, it came on the back of the Ireland senior team's abject performance in Twickenham. A dampener had been put on Andy Farrell's first campaign in charge as Ireland looked to bounce back from World Cup disappointment. While there was disappointment that we would not host Italy or travel to Paris, it didn't feel like the end of the world either.
For another Irish team though, the postponement of the tournament was denying them a real chance at making history.
The Ireland Under 20s had already secured the Triple Crown after three wins from three in the Six Nations. With Italy to visit Ireland and a trip to Perpignan to face France to come, the prospect of a second Grand Slam in a row was becoming more and more likely.
Seven players involved in last year's triumph remained involved in this year's campaign, including captain David McCann, while coach Noel McNamara is also still on board.
McNamara, who is also the Leinster Academy manager, was talking to media yesterday to announce the Academy recruits for this year, and outlined that it was still unsure if the Championship would be completed, though he remains hopeful.
We are still hopeful that the games will be replayed and there are tentative talks of that happening towards the end of October. Once that is confirmed it would be great to get the group back together.
It would definitely be very exciting for that group of players to come back and get an opportunity to play together again and to represent Ireland at that level. That is a little bit off in the distance.
Six of the seven players announced for the Leinster Academy played for McNamara for Ireland this year, and one, former Dublin minor footballer Niall Comerford missed out through injury.
The seven year one players announced by Leinster are:
Niall Comerford (Back Three),
Joe McCarthy (Second Row),
John McKee (Hooker),
Seán O’Brien (Back Row),
Max O’Reilly (Back Five),
Andrew Smith (Back Three),
Alex Soroka (Back Row).
Meanwhile, five played have been promoted from the Leinster academy to senior contracts for 2020/21. They are second rows Ryan Baird and Jack Dunne and out-half Harry Byrne, who all featured a number of times for Leinster last season, as well as centre Tommy O’Brien and hooker Dan Sheehan.
SEE ALSO: 'Zeebs Was Playing Fullback And He Was Breaking Himself Laughing'
