Ireland U-20 Team Named For France Game

The Ireland Under-20 team (sponsored by PwC) has been named for their second clash of the RBS Under-20 6 Nations Championship. The side will take on their French counterparts at the Stade des Alpes in Grenoble on Saturday.

Ireland Under-20 head coach Mike Ruddock has brought three new faces into the side that won their opening game, beating Wales 11-6 last weekend in Athlone.

Conor Finn has been brought into the side to replace Barry Daly on the right wing. Daly received a broken thumb in the clash with Wales and underwent surgery on Sunday. He is expected to be out of action for six weeks.

Diarmuid Higgins has been brought into the squad and will take his place on the bench, replacing Jake Cawley who took a knock during last Friday’s game and is unavailable for selection this week.

Prop Cawley is due to be available for selection for the upcoming match against Italy.

Chris Farrell has been promoted from the bench to outside centre along with scrum half Luke McGrath, with the pair making their first starts of the Championship. Foster Horan and Kieran Marmion are the players to make way.

RTÉ will provide live web-only coverage of the Ireland U-20s’ clash with France on Saturday afternoon. Click here to watch (island of Ireland only).

IRELAND UNDER-20 Team & Replacements (v France Under-20s, RBS Under-20 6 Nations Championship, Stade des Alpes, Grenoble, Saturday, February 11, kick-off 3pm local time/2pm Irish time):

15 – Shane Layden (Buccaneers/Connacht)
14 – Conor Finn (Buccaneers/Connacht)
13 – Chris Farrell (Dungannon/Ulster)
12 – JJ Hanrahan (UL Bohemians/Munster)
11 – Sam Coghlan Murray (UCD/Leinster)
10 – Paddy Jackson (Dungannon/Ulster) (capt)
9 – Luke McGrath (UCD/Leinster)
1 – Kyle McCall (Ballynahinch/Ulster)
2 – Niall Scannell (Dolphin/Munster)
3 – Peter Reilly (Lansdowne/Leinster)
4 – Iain Henderson (Queen’s UniversityUlster)
5 – Daniel Qualter (Buccaneers/Connacht)
6 – Conor Gilsenan (UCD/Leinster)
7 – Aaron Conneely (Corinthians/Connacht)
8 – Jack Conan (Old Belvedere/Leinster)

Replacements:

16 – Des Merrey (Clontarf/Leinster)
17 – James Rael (Garryowen/Munster)
18 – Diarmuid Higgins (Buccaneers/Connacht)
19 – Tadhg Beirne (Lansdowne/Leinster)
20 – Jordan Coghlan (UCD/Leinster)
21 – Kieran Marmion (Corinthians/Connacht)
22 – Cathal Marsh (Dublin University/Leinster)
23 – Foster Horan (Lansdowne/Leinster)

Ireland Under-20s’ 2012 Fixtures/Results:

Friday, February 3 – Ireland U-20s 11 Wales U-20s 6, Dubarry Park, Buccaneers RFC
Saturday, February 11 – France U-20s v Ireland U-20s, Stade des Alpes, Grenoble, 3pm local time/2pm Irish time
Friday, February 24 – Ireland U-20s v Italy U-20s, Dubarry Park, Buccaneers RFC, 7.05pm
Friday, March 9 – Ireland U-20s v Scotland U-20s, Dubarry Park, Buccaneers RFC, 7.05pm
Friday, March 16 – England U-20s v Ireland U-20s, Adams Park, London Wasps RFC, 8.05pm