Ireland Under-20 Back-Line Rejigged For Scotland Match
Head coach Noel McNamara has made five personnel changes to the Ireland Under-20 team, sponsored by PwC, to play Scotland in Tuesday’s 9th-12th place play-off in Perpignan (kick-off 4pm local time/3pm Irish time).
The Ireland Under-20s defeated Scotland 30-25 at Donnybrook during this year’s U-20 Six Nations, and are aiming to back up that result after losing their three World Rugby U-20 Championship pool games to hosts France (26-24), South Africa (30-17) and Georgia (24-20).
Michael Silvester, a try scorer against South Africa, and Harry Byrne, who scored 16 points during the Pool C campaign, return at full-back and out-half respectively, with the rejigged back-line seeing centres James Hume and Tommy O’Brien move to the wings, and Sean O’Brien and Peter Sylvester pair up in a new midfield combination.
Dublin University tighthead Joe Byrne, who made his Ireland U-20 debut off the bench against the French, comes in for his first start, joining Jordan Duggan and Diarmuid Barron who have been ever-present in the front row throughout the tournament.
Matthew Dalton and Jack Dunne are retained as the second row pairing, while Ulster duo Joe Dunleavy and Matthew Agnew resume alongside captain Caelan Doris, as the starting back row from the France and South Africa matches is restored.
As the Ireland U-20s chase a win to secure their World Rugby U-20 Championship place for next season, McNamara said: “We had three tough pool games and while there were lots of positives to take from the games, unfortunately they weren’t reflected on the scoreboard.
“Scotland will present another big challenge for the team. Having played them in the Under-20 Six Nations earlier this season and also in a warm-up fixture in Edinburgh ahead of this tournament, we know what to expect from them.”
Ulster Academy back Michael Lowry has replaced the injured Peter Sullivan in the extended Ireland U-20 squad. The winners of Tuesday’s clash, which 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, will face either Georgia or Japan next Sunday. For more information on the tournament, click here.
IRELAND UNDER-20 Team & Replacements (v Scotland Under-20s, 2018 World Rugby U-20 Championship – 9th-12th Place Play-Off, Stade Aimé-Giral, Perpignan, Tuesday, June 12, kick-off 4pm local time/3pm Irish time):
15. Michael Silvester (Dublin University/Leinster)
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. Hugh O’Sullivan (Clontarf/Leinster)
1. Jordan Duggan (Naas/Leinster)
2. Diarmuid Barron (Garryowen/Munster)
3. Joe Byrne (Dublin University/Leinster)
4. Matthew Dalton (Malone/Ulster)
5. Jack Dunne (Dublin University/Leinster)
6. Joe Dunleavy (Malone/Ulster)
7. Matthew Agnew (Ballymena/Ulster)
8. Caelan Doris (St. Mary’s College/Leinster) (capt)
Replacements:
16. Dan Sheehan (Dublin University/Leinster)
17. Bryan O’Connor (UCC/Munster)
18. Jakub Wojtkowicz (Sligo/Connacht)
19. Charlie Ryan (UCD/Leinster)
20. Jack Daly (Garryowen/Munster)
21. Jonny Stewart (Queen’s University/Ulster)
22. Conor Dean (St. Mary’s College/Leinster)
23. Tom Roche (Lansdowne/Leinster)
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 v Scotland
Stade Aimé-Giral, Perpignan, Tuesday, June 12, 4pm local time/3pm Irish time
Finals –
Stade de la Mediterranee, Béziers, Sunday, June 17