Ireland Under-20 Team Announced For Play-Off Against Japan

Head coach Noel McNamara has named the Ireland Under-20 team (sponsored by PwC) to play Japan in Sunday’s World Rugby U-20 Championship 11th-12th place play-off in Béziers (kick-off 11am local time/10am Irish time).

Ireland won a warm-up match between the teams in Dublin last month, scoring seven tries in a 43-19 success. There are six changes to the side from Tuesday’s defeat to Scotland, with Dublin University hooker Dan Sheehan making his first Ireland U-20 start, flanked by the heavily-involved Jordan Duggan and Jack Aungier in the front row.

It is an all-Leinster front five with Cormac Daly joining Jack Dunne in the second row, while Garryowen’s Jack Daly, a try-scoring replacement against the Scots, makes his first start in a back row that is completed by Matthew Agnew and captain Caelan Doris.

Ulster Academy scrum half Jonny Stewart is set for his 19th Ireland U-20 cap, lining out at half-back alongside Harry Byrne who is the leading Irish scorer at the tournament with 23 points (including two tries against France and Scotland). 

Peter Sylvester and Sean O’Brien pair up again in the centre, James Hume and Tommy O’Brien fill the wing berths and Hume’s Banbridge and Ulster colleague Michael Lowry, a recent injury call-up to the squad, will make his Ireland U-20 debut from full-back.

Some of Ireland’s changes are injury-enforced with Diarmuid Barron, Aaron Hall and Michael Silvester all ruled out through injury. The three players have returned home and Corinthians and Connacht hooker Dylan Tierney – a potential debutant on the bench tomorrow – has replaced Barron in the extended squad.

Speaking ahead of Ireland’s final game, Noel McNamara said: “This isn’t a position we imagined we’d be in, but we know how important it’s going to be to get the win tomorrow. Japan showed on Tuesday that they are a tough outfit.

“It took a late Georgia try to beat the Japanese side in midweek, so we are aware of the threats they pose. There’s a huge amount on the line tomorrow and everyone involved is fully focused on getting the result.”

Sunday morning’s match will be broadcast live on eir Sport 2 in the Republic of Ireland and online in non-geo blocked locations via World Rugby’s Facebook page and website. For more information on the tournament, click here.

IRELAND UNDER-20 Team & Replacements (v Japan Under-20s, 2018 World Rugby U-20 Championship – 11th-12th Place Play-Off, Stade de la Méditerranée, Béziers, Sunday, June 17, kick-off 11am local time/10am Irish time):

15. Michael Lowry (Banbridge/Ulster) *
14. James Hume (Banbridge/Ulster)
13. Sean O’Brien (Clontarf/Leinster)
12. Peter Sylvester (UCC/Munster)
11. Tommy O’Brien (UCD/Leinster)
10. Harry Byrne (UCD/Leinster)
9. Jonny Stewart (Queen’s University/Ulster)
1. Jordan Duggan (Naas/Leinster)
2. Dan Sheehan (Dublin University/Leinster)
3. Jack Aungier (St. Mary’s College/Leinster)
4. Cormac Daly (Clontarf/Leinster)
5. Jack Dunne (Dublin University/Leinster)
6. Jack Daly (Garryowen/Munster)
7. Matthew Agnew (Ballymena/Ulster)
8. Caelan Doris (St. Mary’s College/Leinster) (capt)
 
Replacements:

16. Dylan Tierney (Corinthians/Connacht) *
17. Jakub Wojtkowicz (Sligo/Connacht)
18. Joe Byrne (Dublin University/Leinster)
19. Charlie Ryan (UCD/Leinster)
20. Joe Dunleavy (Malone/Ulster)
21. Hugh O’Sullivan (Clontarf/Leinster)
22. Conor Dean (St. Mary’s College/Leinster)
23. Tom Roche (Lansdowne/Leinster)
 
* Denotes uncapped player at this level

IRELAND U-20s’ World Rugby Championship Results/Fixtures:

Pool C –

France 26 Ireland 24
Stade Aimé-Giral, Perpignan, Wednesday, May 30

South Africa 30 Ireland 17
Stade d’Honneur du Parc des Sports et de l’Amitie, Narbonne, Sunday, June 3

Ireland 20 Georgia 24
Stade d’Honneur du Parc des Sports et de l’Amitie, Narbonne, Thursday, June 7

9th-12th Place Play-Off – Ireland 29 Scotland 45
Stade Aimé-Giral, Perpignan, Tuesday, June 12

11th-12th Place Play-Off – Ireland v Japan
Stade de la Méditerranée, Béziers, Sunday, June 17, 11am local time/10am Irish time