Niall Scannell
Date of birth (1992-04-08) 8 April 1992 (age 31)
Place of birthCork, Ireland
Height1.85 m (6 ft 1 in)
Weight111 kg (17.5 st; 245 lb)
SchoolPresentation Brothers College
UniversityUniversity College Cork
Notable relative(s)Rory Scannell (brother)
Billy Scannell (brother)
Jack O'Sullivan (cousin)
Donal O'Sullivan (grandfather)[1]
Rugby union career
Position(s) Hooker
Amateur team(s)
Years Team Apps (Points)
Dolphin ()
Senior career
Years Team Apps (Points)
2013– Munster 163 (105)
Correct as of 20 January 2024
International career
Years Team Apps (Points)
2012 Ireland U20 8 (0)
2017– Ireland 20 (5)
Correct as of 19 October 2019

Niall Scannell (born 8 April 1992) is an Irish rugby union player who plays as a hooker for United Rugby Championship club Munster.

Munster

Scannell secured a development contract with the senior Munster for the 2013–14 season in April 2013.[2] He made his senior Munster debut on 21 December 2013, coming on as a replacement against Scarlets in the United Rugby Championship.[3] Scannell made his first start for Munster on 27 December 2013, against Connacht.[4][5] He signed a one-year development contract extension in March 2014.[6] In March 2015, Scannell signed a two-year contract with Munster.[7] Scannell made his European debut on 12 December 2015, starting against Leicester Tigers.[8]

Scannell signed a contract extension with Munster in January 2017.[9] On 25 April 2017, it was announced that Scannell had been nominated by his teammates for the 2017 Munster Rugby Senior Player of the Year, alongside John Ryan and Tyler Bleyendaal.[10] He signed a two-year contract extension with Munster in December 2018.[11]

Scannell earned his 100th cap for the province in their 39–22 defeat away to French club Racing 92 in round 5 of the 2019–20 Champions Cup on 12 January 2020,[12][13] and he captained Munster for the first time in their 2019–20 Pro14 round 12 fixture away to Italian side Zebre on 21 February 2020, though Scannell left the field injured during the first-half of Munster's 28–0 win.[14] A back injury Scannell sustained during training in October 2020 required surgery, ruling him out for two months.[15] He signed a two-year contract extension with the province in February 2021.[16]

Scannell featured off the bench in Munster's historic 28–14 win against a South Africa XV in Páirc Uí Chaoimh on 10 November 2022,[17] and earned his 150th cap for Munster in their 17–6 away win against English club Northampton Saints in round two of the 2022–23 Champions Cup on 18 December 2022.[18]

Scannell signed a two-year contract extension with the province in January 2023,[19] and came on as a replacement in Munster's 19–14 win against the Stormers in the final of the 2022–23 United Rugby Championship on 27 May 2023.[20]

Ireland

Scannell won a total of eight caps for the Ireland Under-20 team, playing in the 2012 Under-20 Six Nations Championship and captaining the team at the 2012 IRB Junior World Championship.[21][22][23]

On 23 January 2017, Scannell was named in the Ireland squad for the opening two rounds of the 2017 Six Nations Championship.[24] On 11 February 2017, Scannell made his debut for Ireland when, due to captain Rory Best's illness, he started against Italy in the Six Nations.[25] Scannell was also selected in the squad for the 2017 Summer Tour against the United States and Japan.[26] On 10 June 2017, in the one-off test against the United States, Scannell scored his first try for Ireland, doing so in the 55–19 win in the Red Bull Arena, New Jersey.[27] When Scannell's brother Rory came on in the test as a replacement, they became the first Munster siblings to represent Ireland in the professional era.[28] Having been called-up to replace captain Rory Best in Ireland's squad to tour Australia,[29] Scannell went on to start in the second and third tests in Ireland's historic series victory.[30][31]

Scannell was selected in the 31-man Ireland squad for the 2019 Rugby World Cup,[32] having featured in the warm-up matches against Italy[33] and Wales.[34] During the World Cup itself, Scannell featured off the bench in Ireland's opening 27–3 win against Scotland[35] and started in the 35–0 win against Russia,[36] before again featuring off the bench in Ireland's 47–5 win against Samoa in their final pool game,[37] and in the comprehensive 46–14 defeat against New Zealand in the quarter-finals, which brought an end to Ireland's 2019 World Cup.[38]

Having been absent from new head coach Andy Farrell's squads since he took over post-2019 World Cup, Scannell was called up to the Ireland squad for the 2022 tour of New Zealand as injury cover for Rob Herring. Scannell had been on holiday when he received his call up, and three days later came off the bench in Ireland's uncapped match against the Māori All Blacks on 29 June, which the Māori won 32–17.[39] Scannell also started in the second uncapped match against the Māori All Blacks on 12 July, which Ireland won 30–24 to draw the series 1–1.[40]

Honours

Munster

Statistics

International analysis by opposition

Against Played Won Lost Drawn Tries Points % Won
 Australia 2 2 0 0 0 0 100
 England 1 1 0 0 0 0 100
 France 2 2 0 0 0 0 100
 Italy 4 4 0 0 0 0 100
 Japan 2 2 0 0 0 0 100
 New Zealand 1 0 1 0 0 0 0
 Russia 1 1 0 0 0 0 100
 Samoa 1 1 0 0 0 0 100
 Scotland 1 1 0 0 0 0 100
 United States 2 2 0 0 1 5 100
 Wales 3 1 2 0 0 0 33.33
Total 20 17 3 0 1 5 85

Correct as of 19 October 2019[41]

References

  1. ^ "'I play rugby because I love the game, not just because my brothers play'". The42. 23 August 2020. Retrieved 24 August 2020.
  2. ^ "Contract News". Munster Rugby. 3 April 2013. Retrieved 11 May 2013.
  3. ^ "O'Mahony Steals Dramatic Late Win". Munster Rugby. 21 December 2013. Retrieved 22 December 2013.
  4. ^ "Penney Rings The Changes For Connacht". Munster Rugby. 26 December 2013. Retrieved 27 December 2013.
  5. ^ "Hanrahan Stars As Munster 8 Points Clear". Munster Rugby. 27 December 2013. Retrieved 28 December 2013.
  6. ^ "Contract News". Munster Rugby. 31 March 2014. Retrieved 31 March 2014.
  7. ^ "Front Row Trio Sign Up". Munster Rugby. 11 March 2015. Retrieved 12 March 2015.
  8. ^ "Tigers Pounce In Thomond". Munster Rugby. 12 December 2015. Retrieved 8 September 2017.
  9. ^ "Munster Confirm Latest Signings". Munster Rugby. 24 January 2017. Retrieved 24 January 2017.
  10. ^ "Munster Player Of The Year Nominees Announced". Munster Rugby. 25 April 2017. Retrieved 25 April 2017.
  11. ^ "12 Munster Players Sign Contract Extensions". Munster Rugby. 4 December 2018. Retrieved 4 December 2018.
  12. ^ "Niall Scannell Set To Hit 100". Munster Rugby. 10 January 2020. Retrieved 12 January 2020.
  13. ^ "Report | Late Tries Deny Munster In Paris". Munster Rugby. 12 January 2020. Retrieved 12 January 2020.
  14. ^ "Report | Bonus-Point Win For Munster Over Zebre". Munster Rugby. 21 February 2020. Retrieved 22 February 2020.
  15. ^ "Squad Update | Edinburgh Up Next At Thomond". Munster Rugby. 7 October 2020. Retrieved 8 October 2020.
  16. ^ "Player Contract Extensions Confirmed". Munster Rugby. 18 February 2021. Retrieved 20 February 2021.
  17. ^ "Report | Munster Secure Historic Victory Over SA Select XV". Munster Rugby. 10 November 2022. Retrieved 13 November 2022.
  18. ^ "Report | Munster Overcome Northampton At Franklin's Gardens". Munster Rugby. 18 December 2022. Retrieved 20 December 2022.
  19. ^ "Contract Update & Addition For 2023/24". Munster Rugby. 31 January 2023. Retrieved 31 January 2023.
  20. ^ "Magical Munster see off Stormers to win URC title and end trophy drought". Irish Examiner. 27 May 2023. Retrieved 27 May 2023.
  21. ^ "Ireland U-20s Stun Hosts South Africa". Irish Rugby. 4 June 2012. Retrieved 11 May 2013.
  22. ^ "Ireland Under-20s Gain Revenge On England". Irish Rugby. 17 June 2012. Retrieved 11 May 2013.
  23. ^ "Ireland Under-20s Secure Fifth Place Finish". Irish Rugby. 22 June 2012. Retrieved 11 May 2013.
  24. ^ "13 Munster Players In Ireland Squad". Munster Rugby. 23 January 2017. Retrieved 23 January 2017.
  25. ^ "Ireland Notch Nine Tries In Rome Rout". Irish Rugby. 11 February 2017. Archived from the original on 12 February 2017. Retrieved 11 February 2017.
  26. ^ "Schmidt Includes 9 Munster Players For Summer Tour". Munster Rugby. 16 May 2017. Retrieved 16 May 2017.
  27. ^ "Earls Excels As Ireland Kick Off Tour With New Jersey Win". Irish Rugby. 11 June 2017. Archived from the original on 13 June 2017. Retrieved 11 June 2017.
  28. ^ "Scannell Siblings Set Munster Record". Munster Rugby. 14 June 2017. Retrieved 14 June 2017.
  29. ^ "Rory Best ruled out of Ireland's tour of Australia with hamstring injury". The42. 31 May 2018. Retrieved 24 June 2018.
  30. ^ "Furlong On Fire As Ireland End Wait For Away Win Over Wallabies". Irish Rugby. 16 June 2018. Archived from the original on 22 June 2018. Retrieved 24 June 2018.
  31. ^ "Schmidt Praises Character Of Players As Ireland Claim Historic Series Win". Irish Rugby. 23 June 2018. Archived from the original on 24 June 2018. Retrieved 24 June 2018.
  32. ^ "Ireland's Rugby World Cup Squad Named". IRFU. 2 September 2019. Retrieved 2 September 2019.
  33. ^ "Five-Try Triumph Gets Ireland Up And Running". IRFU. 10 August 2019. Retrieved 2 September 2019.
  34. ^ "Stockdale at the double as Schmidt's Ireland cling on for victory in Cardiff". The42. 31 August 2019. Retrieved 2 September 2019.
  35. ^ "Pack Points The Way As Ireland Sweep Scotland Aside". Irish Rugby. 22 September 2019. Retrieved 30 August 2021.
  36. ^ "Ireland 35-0 Russia: Joe Schmidt's side labour to World Cup win". BBC Sport. 3 October 2019. Retrieved 30 August 2021.
  37. ^ "Ireland 47-5 Samoa: Bonus-point win puts Irish into last eight". BBC Sport. 12 October 2019. Retrieved 30 August 2021.
  38. ^ "New Zealand 46-14 Ireland: 'We gave All Blacks a leg up' says Irish coach Schmidt". BBC Sport. 19 October 2019. Retrieved 30 August 2021.
  39. ^ "Off the beach and off the bench for Niall Scannell". Irish Examiner. 30 June 2022. Retrieved 1 July 2022.
  40. ^ "Brilliant Ireland build on Saturday's win over the All Blacks with Maori scalp". The42. 12 July 2022. Retrieved 16 July 2022.
  41. ^ Niall Scannell, ESPN Scrum, 3 October 2019

External links

Munster โ€“ current squad
Munster โ€“ captains
Ireland squad โ€“ 2019 Rugby World Cup
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