McDonough: We must be at our best

Dragons wing Carrick McDonough believes Wales Under-20s must be at their best to beat Ireland in tonight’s crucial Six Nations clash.

Ioan Cunningham’s side got their campaign off to a solid start against Italy last weekend, while Ireland impressed with a 38-7 thrashing of Scotland.

Despite Ireland’s obvious quality the Dragons Academy wing is quietly confident Wales can keep their unbeaten record intact at Cardiff Arms Park.

“If we put on our best performance I think we can beat any team,” he said. “The main focus is on our own performance and not worry about other teams.

“The win helped us a lot in the first week. The boys’ mood is really good in camp and we are having a good laugh. It’s good to get a new bond with players from other regions.

“In the hotel now everyone is getting closer and closer and we are bothering people we don’t both with normally.”

McDonough will start on the wing in an exciting back division which includes Ospreys centre Joe Hawkins, and Scarlets playmaker Sam Costelow who kicked 18 points in the victory over the Azzurri.

There are two changes on the bench with Exeter Chiefs’ Christ Tshiunza and Ospreys’ Rhys Thomas replacing Tristan Davies and Evan Lloyd respectively.

The selection is a vote of confidence for the side who had to battle some stern opposition in Italy in their opening round encounter before victory was finally secured.

Life could have been very different for the Wales under 20s wing, who is also part of the Dragonsaacademy, who has a Welsh athletics champion at 100 metres when he was 15.

But the man from Oakdale eventually decided to pursue a career in professional rugby, and he believes his speed can help Wales under 20s enjoy a successful Six Nations campaign.

“My speed is what will get me places,” he said. “If it get ball in hand hopefully I can show people what I can do. When I was growing up my dad was a rugby player and my mam was an athlete.

“I stopped rugby for a while to concentrate on athletics. I won a couple of Welsh championships but there came a point where I had to choose rugby or athletics. At under 15s I was a Welsh champions at 60 metres, 100 metres, and 200 metres.

“Back then I ran the 60 metres at 7.4 which was when I was 14. My fastest 100 metres times was 11.1, and my fastest 200 metres time was 23.1 but I think I’d easily beat those times now if I did them again.”