The future is bright!
By Ciaron Noble
Sam Prendergast, Gus McCarthy, Jack Murphy and Finn Treacy are just a few names of players who have impressed in senior rugby for their provinces and since graduating from the Irish Rugby Youth system in recent years.
But who should you watch out for in the current underage system that has the potential to blossom into a senior star?
Remember the names of these five players.
Owen Kane (Ulster Rugby, Out Half)
Coming from Ulster. Owen O’Kane is a silky-skilled out-half who captained his school, Rainey Endowed School, to the Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ Cup semi-final this year. He played for the Irish U-18s at the Six Nations Festival in April. He’s the current Ulster U-19 captain during the Interprovincial Championship.
The 18-year-old shone in his Ulster ‘A’ debut as he steered his team to a well-earned 24-34 victory in May. His ability to control the play made for a mature performance.
Jack Deegan (Leinster, Centre)
Educated at Cistercian College Roscrea, the centre was one of the standout performers in the 2025 Bank of Ireland Leinster Schools Senior Cup. He helped his school reach the semi-final, scoring 48 points, which included three tries across just three games.
He was rewarded with a year 1 contract in the Leinster Academy for the upcoming season. He’s another exciting talent to be swooped up by Blackrock College in Division 1B of the All-Ireland League.
Bill Hayes (Munster, Backrow)
Hayes, a classic number eight, is a ball-carrying threat who offers a lot going forward. Also schooled at Cistercian College Roscrea, the Tipperary native caught the eye in the Leinster Schools Cup, captaining his school.
In April, he was recognised by the Tipperary County Council Municipal District Award, acknowledging his outstanding contribution to rugby and his exemplary sportsmanship throughout his playing career. He captained the Irish U-19 against France in April.
Lee Fitzpatrick (Leinster, Hooker)
Fitzpatrick is a dynamic hooker hailing from Co. Laois. He recently played with the Irish U-18s this summer in South Africa for their games against South Africa and Georgia. He’s a hard man to stop once he gets going.
He was a standout player for the Cistercian College Roscrea junior cup side that reached the Leinster Schools Junior Cup Final, just falling short to St Michael’s College in the final. He moved to Newbridge College in the Senior Cup, converting into a hooker from being a backrow. He’s a year 1 Academy prospect for Leinster.
Charlie Hempenstall (Out Half, Leinster)
Hempenstall is the latest in a long line of quality out-halves to come out of Leinster. He played three years of Senior Cup rugby as the starting 10 for his school, Wesley College. His athletic stature mixed with his soft hands and vision for space make him a joy to watch.
He played for the Irish U-19 in the spring and scored a spectacular try against Belvedere College in the opening round, where he ran the length of the pitch to cap off a great individual effort.
