IRELAND under-20 rugby star Jordan Coghlan, pictured right, faces two more gruelling tests this week in South Africa -- one on the pitch and the other in the exam hall.

The former Clongowes Wood student overcame one tough examination with flying colours last night after he bagged a try to help his side to a famous 23-19 victory against host nation South Africa in the 2012 IRB Junior World Championship.

Now he faces another test as he prepares to re-sit his Leaving Cert maths exam on Friday. But it clashes with his next junior rugby world championship match with England.

With help from the State Examinations Commission (SEC), the 19-year-old student can do both -- but it's the maths test that will have to come first.

The SEC has made special arrangements for Jordan to start Friday's exam a little early, so he can finish in time to join his teammates before kick-off.

As Leaving Cert exam centres go, the setting will be rather special -- Stellenbosch University in the picturesque Jonkershoek Valley in the heart of Western Cape wine country.

The university campus is also home to the Danie Craven Stadium, where Friday's big match will be held.

The game will kick off at 5.45pm Irish time. With the maths exam not due to finish until 5.30pm local time it was going to put Jordan under extra pressure. So the SEC agreed that Jordan could start his paper 30 minutes early and finish at 5pm local time.

The exam will be supervised by an IRFU representative, to whom the paper will be faxed immediately before the exam. Afterwards, it will be sealed in an envelope for its return to Ireland.

Team manger Brian Roantree said: "We are very grateful to the SEC because Jordan is crucial to our team and he will also be representing our country."

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Irish Independent