Head coach Wayne Mitchell has made nine personnel changes to the Ireland Under-18 Clubs team for Saturday’s final International Triangular Festival match against England U-18 Counties at Hartpury College (kick-off 11am).
The nine replacements from the opening 18-10 win over France Under-18s have been promoted to the starting line-up for the festival finale, with Ireland lining with new combinations in the back-line and pack.
Navan’s Conor Nash reverts to full-back with Sean O’Brien from Mullingar paired with vice-captain Ciaran Frawley in the centre. The Skerries clubman makes the move from out-half to inside centre, as Liam Coombes (Skibbereen) and Hartpury’s own Jack Combes come in as the starting half-backs.
Dominic Gorard from St. Benedict’s will make his first start on the right wing, joining Nash and Canford School’s Otto Gray in a rejigged back-three.
Leinster pair Eoin Corcoran and Conor Maguire are joined by Highfield’s Ian McCarthy in an all-new front row, while Portlaoise’s Sean Masterson, a younger brother of Connacht’s Eoghan Masterson, partners Jack Regan (Birr) in the second row.
The inclusion of Alan Fitzgerald (Young Munster) at blindside flanker is the only change to a back row marshalled by captain Conor Farrell from Navan. Farrell and Gorey number 8 Paul Boyle both touched down during the first half of the French game.
The England U-18 Counties side beat France 7-5 in their opening fixture of the festival, and have also made nine changes for this weekend’s encounter at the Gloucester venue.
IRELAND UNDER-18 CLUBS Team & Replacements (v England Under-18s, 2015 International Triangular Festival, Hartpury College, Gloucestershire, Saturday, April 4, kick-off 11am):
15. Conor Nash (Navan/Leinster)
14. Dominic Gorard (Ealing Trailfinders/St. Benedict’s/Exiles)
13. Sean O’Brien (Mullingar/Leinster)
12. Ciaran Frawley (Skerries/Leinster)
11. Otto Gray (Canford School/Exiles)
10. Liam Coombes (Skibbereen/Munster)
9. Jack Combes (Hartpury College/Exiles)
1. Eoin Corcoran (Longford/Leinster)
2. Conor Maguire (Boyne/Leinster)
3. Ian McCarthy (Highfield/Munster)
4. Sean Masterson (Portlaoise/Leinster)
5. Jack Regan (Birr/Leinster)
6. Alan Fitzgerald (Young Munster/Munster)
7. Conor Farrell (Navan/Leinster) (capt)
8. Paul Boyle (Gorey/Leinster)
Replacements:
16. Tadgh McElroy (Dundalk/Leinster)
17. Greg McGrath (Wexford Wanderers/Leinster)
18. Jack Aungier (Suttonians/Leinster)
19. Joe Carley (Enniscorthy/Leinster)
20. Conor Hand (Navan/Leinster)
21. Niall Saunders (Harlequins/Epsom College/Exiles)
22. Luke Carty (Buccaneers/Connacht)
23. Peter Howard (Cill Dara/Leinster)
24. Darragh Cummins (Sligo/Connacht)
IRELAND U-18 CLUBS MANAGEMENT TEAM –
Head Coach – Wayne Mitchell
Assistant Coach – Brendan O’Connor
Assistant Coach – Jamie Turkington
Manager – Dermot Kelly
Scrum Coach – Seamus Toomey
Strength & Conditioning Coach – Adam Sheehan
Analyst – Brian Fitzgerald
Doctor – Padraig Sheeran
Physio – Damien Mordon
Baggage Master – Mo Dempsey
Squad Co-ordinator – Sinéad Bennett
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