There are six Ulster players in the Irish Colleges Squad for Friday night’s game. All are students at the University of Ulster at Jordanstown. The 3 backs include Mark O'Connor; City of Derry Rugby Club, Josh Devitt; Instonians and Peter Budina from Ballymena, and three forwards in the squad are Neil Simpson; Instonians, Andrew Ferguson; Ballymena and Andrew Kerr; Rainey.

Since its foundation in 1986, not only have the Irish Colleges competed continuously in the 4 Nations Student rugby competitions but have also played host to a number of International sides that have included the Canadian Under 23s and the Japanese Universities. This is the first occasion that the Irish Colleges will meet the French Students- a team that is selected from all of the 3rd level affiliates in France. The French Students are very much part of the French Rugby Union structure and have built a strong management, selection and coaching structure around their team. They have gained, and continue to gain much respect by their counterparts within the student rugby family. Presently, they are classified as third tier within French rugby. Many of their past players have achieved full international honours at senior level.

In the 2008 season, the French students defeated the English Students in Toulan by 45pts to 9 pts, the Irish Universities at Romans by 46 pts to 22 pts, the Japanese Universities in Tokyo by 27 pts to nil but were narrowly defeated by the Japanese A side 20 pts to 19 pts.

The Irish Colleges can look back on 2008 season as a very successful one having defeated the Combined UK Services U23s 40 pts to nil and the Scottish Universities by 45pts to 8pts in their first two games. In their game in Henley upon Thames in March, they were defeated by the England Students 30pts to 14. In that game the Irish Colleges were trailing by 13pts to 3pts at half time, but once the second half started, they got back into the pace of the game and we were leading 14pts to 13pts within 15 mins of the second half. Irish Colleges were then given two yellow cards within a minute of entering the final quarter. The English students took advantage of this and the game was over as a contest when three quick tries followed and they were defeated by 30pts to 14.

This game against the French students is regarded as a major test for the Irish Colleges who also have a fixture on 27th February against the English Students at City of Derry RFC.
 
Irish Colleges Rugby Union Squad

Forwards:

Neil Simpson (UUJ/Instonians), Stephen Snell (NCI/Greystones), Mike Storey (UL/ UL Bohemians), Cian Culleton (Sallynoggin FE/ Blackrock), Andrew Ferguson (UUJ/Ballymena), Robin Copeland (DBS/St.Marys), Brian Moroney (GCD/Terenure), Alex Dunlop (IT Tallaght/ Terenure), John Downey (Sallynoggin FE/ Greystones), John Dever (Garda College/ Terenure College), Andrew Kerr (UUJ, Jordonstown/ Rainey), Eoghan Nihill (Blackhall Place/ Wanderers).

Backs:

Sean Treacy (DCU/ Clontarf), Sean Joyce (NUIG/ Connemara), Mark Geraghty (DCU/ greystones), Brian Collins (IT Blanchardstown/ Old Belvedere), Mark O'Connor (UUJ/ City of Derry), Lorcan Kavanagh (DCU/ Lansdowne), Kevin Lynch (CSN/ Dolphin), Paddy O’Toole (GardaCollege/ Connemara, Peter Budina (UUJ/ Ballymena), Josh Devitt (UUJ/ Instonians), Craig Morrin (IT Tallaght/ St.Marys College). 

International Manager: Moss Dineen
Coach: Eamonn Molloy
Assistant Coach: Chris Galway