Under-21: Hurley Handed First Start

Ireland Under-21 coach Mark McDermott has handed UCC full-back Denis Hurley his first start at this level for tomorrow’s Six Nations clash with an unbeaten Wales U-21 at The Gnoll (kick-off 7.00pm).

Hurley – a member of the Munster Academy – comes into the backline with both Mark Kettyle and Ross McCarron sidelined through injury.

Ireland have made two changes and one positional switch from the side which lost 20-13 to France last time out at Thomond Park.

With London Irish’s Kieran Geraghty benched, Daniel Riordan will look to impress on the left wing, with regular Paul McKenzie – the sole try-scorer against the French – moving onto the right flank.

The pack – led by a trio of Dungannon’s youth talent – is unchanged.

Hurley was earlier this week named in the Munster Development squad for their match with the local Euskarians side in San Sebastian – on the same weekend – April 2/3 – as Munster’s Heineken Cup quarter-final tie with Biarritz.

It could prove a baptism of fire for Hurley and Riordan however, with a win for Wales notching up their third Grand Slam at U-21 level since 1999.

The travelling Ireland squad contains just four – including captain Gareth Steenson – of the side which finished runners-up at last summer’s U-21 World Cup in Scotland.

UNDER-21 SIX NATIONS: Friday, March 18
Wales U-21 v Ireland U-21, The Gnoll, Neath, 7.00pm

WALES U-21: Ricky Williams (Newport); Aled Brew (Ospreys), Andrew Bishop (Ospreys), Dafydd Hewitt (Cardiff), Chris Czekaj (Cardiff); Matthew Jones (Ospreys), James Ireland (Newport); Scott Roberts (Bridgend), Duane Goodfield (Pontypridd), Cai Griffiths (Neath), Alun Wyn Jones (Swansea), Ian Evans (Neath), Chris Davies (Bridgend), James Merriman (Hartpury College/Gloucester) (Capt), Jonathan Mills (Scarlets).

Replacements: Rhys James (UWIC), Phillip Osbourne (Cardiff), Ben Thomson (Newport), Tom Smith (Neath), Aled Thomas (Carmarthen Quins), Tom Riley (Pontypridd), Wayne Evans (Carmarthen Quins)

IRELAND U-21:

(15) Denis Hurley (UCC)

(14) Paul McKenzie (Belfast Harlequins)

(13) Andrew Trimble (Ballymena)
(12) Greg Stafford (Lansdowne)
(11) Daniel Riordan (Corinthians)
(10) Gareth Steenson (Dungannon) (Capt)
(9) David O’Leary (UCC)
(1) Michael Diffley (Buccaneers)
(2) Joseph Merrigan (Corinthians)
(3) John Andress (Belfast Harlequins)
(4) Lewis Stevenson (Belfast Harlequins)
(5) Ryan Caldwell (Dungannon)
(6) Brett McNamee (Northampton)
(7) Oisin Hennessy (Dungannon)
(8) Stephen Ferris (Dungannon)

Replacements:

(16) Robert Quinn (UCC)
(17) Eamonn Bracken (Buccaneers)
(18) Mark Melbourne (Garryowen)

(19) Chris Henry (Malone)
(20) Paul Marshall (Ballynahinch)
(21) Barry Keeshan (Cork Constitution)
(22) Kieran Geraghty (London Irish)

Coach: Mark McDermott
Assistant Coach: Brian Walsh
Manager: David Haslett

Referee: David Changleng (Scotland)

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Ireland Under-21s’ Six Nations Results:

Italy U-21 21 Ireland U-21 33, Udine
Scotland U-21 16 Ireland U-21 8, Falkirk Community Stadium
Ireland U-21 6 England U-21 28, Donnybrook
Ireland U-21 13 France U-21 20, Thomond Park

Friday’s Fixtures:

Friday, March 18: Italy U-21 v France U-21, Stadio Zaffanella, Viadana, 7.30pm
England U-21 v Scotland U-21, Franklin’s Gardens, Northampton, 7.45pm