SO, WHAT HAPPENED TO THE CLASS OF 2004?
NIGEL CAROLAN’S cubs have bridged a 12-year gap to the last occasion Ireland last reached an age-grade world final. Mark McDermott’s 2004 Under 21s raised eyebrows picking off France and Australia, but they were no match for New Zealand in Glasgow, the two-six try count resulting in a 19-47 trouncing that was the pinnacle for numerous Irish players’ careers rather than the launch pad for greater things. Jamie Heaslip will tell you it was tough making the grade, the backrow remembering how his jaw dropped some months after the final on walking into the Pav on College Green following an AIL appearance for Trinity and seeing on TV Jerome Kaino, his fellow U21 player of the tournament nominee, helping the All Blacks dismantle the Barbarians at Twickenham. Heaslip, studying medical engineering, was toying with the idea of going to Oxford University or joining an English Premiership club to further his rugby education before Leinster eventually made a full-time offer in 2005. ‘This seems to be the biggest gap in anybody’s development, finishing with the Irish 21s and trying to get in with the provinces,’ he told Sportsmail at the time. ‘There seems to be few and far between contracts… it would be a shame if a lot of these lads lost out because they are all fine players.’ Of the 27 chosen by McDermott, Andrew Trimble joining the original squad of 26 in place of an injured Tommy Bowe, less than half became full-time professionals. Heaslip and Trimble are both still going strong, featuring today for Joe Schmidt’s Ireland in South Africa, while Bowe, searching for full fitness following last October’s World Cup injury, and Gareth Steenson, who led Exeter in last month’s Premiership final, are the pick of the rest along with ’09 Grand Slam winner Tomas O’Leary.
’04 IRELAND — FORWARDS: Ryan Caldwell, Niall Conlon, Keith Doyle, Declan Fitzpatrick, Denis Fogarty, David Gannon, Conor Geoghegan, Jamie Heaslip, Oisin Hennessy, Anthony Kavanagh, Neil McComb, David O’Brien, Brendan O’Connor, Shane O’Connor, John Wickham;
BACKS: Tommy Bowe, Andrew Finn, Michael Glancy, John Hearty, Richard Lane, Paul McKenzie, Breiffne O’Donnell, Tomas O’Leary, Gareth Steenson, Robbie Shaw, Glen Telford, Andrew Trimble.