IRELAND'S U-20 team could be on the cusp of history when they play Scotland in the Sunday's Grand Slam finale this weekend.
Richie Murphy's young side have beaten all before them in the competition and will now have to overcome a plucky Scotland side at Musgrave Park to win a second Grand Slam in three seasons and fourth underage Six Nations crown in its history
Ireland going into the game are favorites, but head coach Richie Murphy has stated that his young Irish side cannot buy into the hype just about yet
Job done in London…looking forward to getting back to a packed Musgrave Park on Sunday for the final game against Scotland @IrishRugby @PwC pic.twitter.com/sFLE1RIJM9 — Richie Murphy (@RichieMurphy100) March 13, 2022
"There's no doubt, and some of that came up last week in relation to going over to play England," he said.
"Some lads were saying it might be the only chance you get to do this. I think it's in their mind, it’s not something we talk about too often.
"We try to deal just with the facts, being very clinical in terms of preparation, sticking with the process, knowing that if we deliver what we’ve delivered so far it’ll be good enough to get us over the line.
"We’re trying to not get caught up in the emotion of the thing. It’s all there, all in the background. It’s not something we ignore, but it’s not something we concentrate on."
Some will go onto to have glittering careers for their provinces and the senior team, but for some the chance to win some silverware and a Grand Slam could the only thing they win
Beating England and France away will be the first time that Ireland have pulled off a Slam in these circumstances.
Murphy knows what it means to people in regards to the hard Slam
"A lot of people are saying that, and it will be (extra special)," he added.
"That win in France, the manner of it as well really set us up well.
"Going into the first game against Wales, there were a couple of areas of our game we were worried about, but over the whole in the past couple of weeks we’ve seen the guys come on really well.
"Everything we talked about in France happened, which was great for the lads because I think they got great confidence in that, from the crowd and all those external factors, and then the game panned out similar to how we imagined it might, getting an opportunity late in the game. They were incredible the way they stuck to it.
"That really kicked them on, and the confidence in the group has grown. They’re driving their own agenda at this stage, we’re reminding them and keeping them on task, going back and trying to drive the things we started with.
"Our first camp was in October, the things we talked about in that very first camp when there were 50-odd players there, we talked about it yesterday in our review. It’s been a consistent message all the way through, and the guys have really bought into that."
The team will be announced tomorrow with many of the young stars keeping their place in the side
London , United Kingdom - 12 March 2022; Ireland head coach Richie Murphy is interviewed after the U20 Six Nations Rugby Championship match between England and Ireland at Stone X Stadium in Barnet, England. (Photo By Paul Harding/Sportsfile via Getty Images)See More: Ireland U20's, Richie Murphy, Rugby
