Five Changes For Ireland Under-20s
The Ireland Under-20 team (sponsored by PwC) to play Wales in Monday’s 5th-8th place play-off of the World Rugby Under-20 World Championship has been named.
There are five changes to the side that lost 25-3 to Pool C winners New Zealand in their last outing of the tournament in Italy.
Ciaran Gaffney makes a return to the starting line-up at full back, with Stephen Fitzgerald back on the right wing and Jacob Stockdale completing the back-three.
Old Belvedere’s Charlie Rock will make his first start for Ireland at Under-20 level, replacing injured captain Nick McCarthy at scrum half.
Up front, Conor Oliver, a try scorer against Scotland, slots back in at openside flanker and Nick Timoney also gets the nod at number 8. In the absence of McCarthy, blindside flanker Josh Murphy will captain the team.
IRELAND UNDER-20 Team & Replacements (v Wales Under-20s, 2015 World Rugby Under-20 Championship – 5th-8th Place Play-Off, Stadio Luigi Zaffanella, Viadana, Monday, June 15, kick-off 8.30pm local time/7.30pm Irish time):
15. Ciaran Gaffney (Galwegians/Connacht)
14. Stephen Fitzgerald (Shannon/Munster)
13. Garry Ringrose (UCD/Leinster)
12. Sam Arnold (Ballynahinch/Ulster)
11. Jacob Stockdale (Queen’s University Belfast/Ulster)
10. Joey Carbery (UCD/Leinster)
9. Charlie Rock (Old Belvedere/Leinster)
1. Andrew Porter (UCD/Leinster)
2. Sean McNulty (UCD/Leinster)
3. Oisin Heffernan (Terenure College/Leinster)
4. David O’Connor (St. Mary’s College/Leinster)
5. Alex Thompson (Queen’s University Belfast/Ulster)
6. Josh Murphy (UCD/Leinster) (capt)
7. Conor Oliver (St. Mary’s College/Leinster)
8. Nick Timoney (St. Mary’s College/Leinster)
Replacements:
16. Adam McBurney (Ballymena/Ulster)
17. Liam O’Connor (Cork Constitution/Munster)
18. Conan O’Donnell (Sligo/NUIG/Connacht)
19. Lorcan Dow (Queen’s University Belfast/Ulster)
20. Rory Moloney (Buccaneers/Connacht)
21. Tomás Quinlan (Cork Constitution/Munster)
22. Fergal Cleary (Lansdowne/Leinster)
23. Jack Owens (Queen’s University Belfast/Ulster)
IRELAND U-20 FIXTURES/RESULTS:
Pool C –
Ireland Under-20s 18 Argentina Under-20s 16, Parma, Tuesday, June 2
Ireland Under-20s 24 Scotland Under-20s 20, Calvisano, Saturday, June 6
New Zealand Under-20s 25 Ireland Under-20s 3, Viadana, Wednesday, June 10
5th-8th Place Play-Off: Ireland Under-20s v Wales Under-20s, Viadana, Monday, June 15, 8.30pm local time/7.30pm Irish time
Match Day 5: Play-offs and final, Saturday, June 20