Five Changes Made To Under-18 Clubs Team

Coach Greg Lynch and his management team have opted to make five changes to the Ireland Under-18 Clubs team for Wednesday’s semi-final showdown with England at the FIRA-AER U-18 European Championship in Italy.

The Irish side accounted for Russia in Sunday’s opening game, running in seven tries in an impressive 53-0 win in Treviso.

Next up for them is a renewal of rivalries with England, who will be gunning for revenge after the boys in green beat them 10-7 in last year’s European Championship semi-final in France.

For this last-four clash, the Irish management had made five changes to the side that started the Russia game.

There are three new inclusions in the back-line – all three hail from Leinster with Naas’ Gavin Nyawata coming onto the right wing, Andrew Boyle of St. Brigid’s selected at outside centre and Wicklow’s Niall Earls slots in at out-half. Tchad Collins Francois, Eoin Griffin and Callum McKie drop to the replacements bench.

In the forwards, Karl Egan has gotten the nod over Declan Farrell at hooker. Egan will join his Corinthians club-mate James Robinson, the team captain, in the front row.

The final alteration sees Lisburn’s Dominic Gallagher come in at blindside flanker with Aaron Spring the player to make way.

The winners of Wednesday’s tie will qualify for Saturday afternoon’s Group A final which will be played at Stadio Comunale di Monigo, the home ground of Benetton Treviso.

The final will kick-off at 4pm local time, following the third-fourth place play-off which is scheduled to start at 2.30pm at the same venue. France and hosts Italy are meeting in Wednesday’s other semi-final, and Ireland would relish a crack at either team.

For more information on the 2008 Irish U-18 Clubs squad and the tournament itself, please click here. 

Our dedicated FIRA-AER U-18 European Championship section can be found here.

IRELAND UNDER-18 CLUBS SQUAD (v England, FIRA-AER U-18 European Championship, Wednesday, March 19, San Dona’ di Piave, Venice, kick-off 8pm local time):

15 – Luke O’Dea (Shannon/Munster)
14 – Gavin Nyawata (Naas/Leinster)
13 – Andrew Boyle (St. Brigid’s/Leinster)
12 – David Lynch (Naas/Leinster)
11 – Robert Kennedy (Longford/Leinster)
10 – Niall Earls (Wicklow/Leinster)
9 – Adam Kennedy (Buccaneers/Connacht)
1 – James Robinson (Corinthians/Connacht) (capt)
2 – Karl Egan (Corinthians/Connacht)
3 – Kieran Brookes (Fylde/Exiles)
4 – Shane Casey (Castlebar/Connacht)
5 – Dean Landy (Carrick-on-Suir/Munster)
6 – Dominic Gallagher (Lisburn/Ulster)
7 – James Stephenson (London Irish/Exiles)
8 – Josh Bennett (Gloucester/Exiles)

Replacements:

16 – Fergal Lynch (Virginia/Ulster)
17 – Paul Molloy (Waterpark/Munster)
18 – Declan Farrell (Leeds Carnegie/Exiles)
19 – James Simpson (Ballynahinch/Ulster)
20 – Aidan Mulligan (Bective Rangers/Leinster)
21 – Aaron Spring (Sligo/Connacht)
22 – Mark Dolan (Buccaneers/Connacht)
23 – Callum McKie (Brentwood/Exiles)
24 – Eoin Griffin (Corinthians/Connacht)
25 – Tchad Collins Francois (Truro College/Exiles)
26 – Kailyn Domican (Naas/Leinster)