A third place finish is the prize on offer for the winners of tonight’s Under-20 RBS 6 Nations final round tie, as Celtic rivals Ireland and Scotland go head to head at Donnybrook.
2016 UNDER-20 RBS 6 NATIONS CHAMPIONSHIP: Friday, March 18
IRELAND UNDER-20s (4th) v SCOTLAND UNDER-20s (3rd), Donnybrook, 7.35pm (live RTÉ Two/www.rte.ie/live (island of Ireland only))
Team News: For their final round fixture, Ireland Under-20 head coach Nigel Carolan has made three changes to the team that defeated Italy 19-13 last week.
There are two changes to the pack as Dublin University prop James Bollard and Cashel’s Sean O’Connor are handed their first starts at this level.
Sligo’s Stephen Kerins has recovered from the knee injury that kept him out of the Italy game and returns to the scrum half berth. Lansdowne and Leinster ‘A’ lock James Ryan leads the team once again.
On the bench, St. Mary’s hooker Hugo Kean and Naas prop Adam Coyle will be hoping to make their Ireland Under-20 debuts. Terenure’s Matthew Byrne replaces Terry Kennedy who is involved with the Ireland Sevens squad this week in Madrid.
Meanwhile, full-back Tom Galbraith will take on the captaincy for the Scotland U-20s in the absence of lock Scott Cummings, who has been recalled by Glasgow Warriors this week.
BT Sport Scottish Rugby Academy stage 3 player Galbraith is one of two changes to the back-line. He moves from centre to full-back for the Championship finale.
Galbraith’s Melrose club-mate, George Taylor, is promoted from the bench to don the number 12 shirt, as Scottish head coach John Dalziel makes four changes in all for the trip to Dublin.
In the pack, second row Stephen Ainslie will make his full debut at Under-20 level as he comes in to replace Cummings, while Boroughmuir’s Scott Burnside will make his second start of this year’s Championship at blindside flanker, with Andrew Davidson unavailable due to a concussion sustained in the 36-21 loss to France.
Callum Sheldon return at tighthead prop, and Hamish Bain and Lee Scott will make their Scotland U-20 bows if they are introduced off the bench.
Joining captain Galbraith in the back-three is one of the try scorers against France, Ben Robbins, and Darcy Graham, while Hutchinson continues at centre alongside Taylor. Hugh Fraser and Adam Hastings remain at scrum half and out-half respectively.
Mainstay Murray McCallum, who is the tournament’s joint-second top try scorer with three tries, starts at loosehead prop alongside hooker Jake Kerr and Sheldon. MacPhail scholar Callum Hunter-Hill joins Ainslie in the engine room, while Matt Smith, who has also been a regular try scorer throughout the campaign, and Ally Miller form the back row alongside Burnside.
Match Ticket Info: Click here to buy tickets for Ireland Under-20s v Scotland Under-20s. Tickets are priced at €;20 for unreserved seating, €;15 for terrace standing, €;10 for children and €;7.50 for a family (two adults and two children).
U-20 RBS 6 Nations Fixtures/Results
IRELAND U-20: Brett Connon (Newcastle Falcons); Hugo Keenan (UCD/Leinster), Shane Daly (Cork Constitution/Munster), Conor O’Brien (Clontarf/Leinster), Jacob Stockdale (Belfast Harlequins/Ulster); Johnny McPhillips (Queen’s University/Ulster), Stephen Kerins (Sligo/Connacht); James Bollard (Dublin University/Leinster), Adam McBurney (Ballymena/Ulster), Conan O’Donnell (Sligo/Connacht), Sean O’Connor (Cashel/Munster), James Ryan (Lansdowne/Leinster) (capt), Cillian Gallagher (Sligo/Connacht), Will Connors (UCD/Leinster), Greg Jones (UCD/Leinster).
Replacements: Hugo Kean (St. Mary’s College/Leinster), Andrew Porter (UCD/Leinster), Adam Coyle (Naas/Leinster), Peter Claffey (Galwegians/Connacht), Max Deegan (Lansdowne/Leinster), John Poland (Cork Constitution/Munster), Paul Kiernan (UCC/Munster), Matthew Byrne (Terenure College/Leinster).
SCOTLAND U-20: Tom Galbraith (Melrose) (capt); Darcy Graham (Hawick), Rory Hutchinson (Northampton Saints), George Taylor (Melrose), Ben Robbins (Currie); Adam Hastings (Bath), Hugh Fraser (Heriot’s); Murray McCallum (Heriot’s), Jake Kerr (Boroughmuir), Callum Sheldon (Leeds Beckett University), Callum Hunter-Hill (Stirling County), Stephen Ainslie (Currie), Scott Burnside (Boroughmuir), Matt Smith (Glasgow Hawks), Ally Miller (Melrose).
Replacements: Lewis Anderson (Ayr), George Thornton (Bishop Burton College), Adam Nicol (Stirling County), Hamish Bain (Currie), Lee Scott (Ayr), Ruaridh Dawson (Newcastle Falcons), Robbie Nairn (Harlequins), Ruairi Howarth (Gala).
Referee: Dan Jones (Wales)
Assistant Referees: Wayne Davies, Greg Morgan (both Wales)
Television Match Official: Derek Bevan (Wales)
Match Odds (Paddy Power): Ireland U-20s to win: 1/2; Draw: 16/1; Scotland U-20s to win: 7/4
Pre-Match Quotes – Nigel Carolan (Ireland U-20s): “Unforced errors and an unusually high penalty count meant that we made hard work of the win against a gritty Italy side last Friday night. However, we came away with the result and that’s the important thing.
“Scotland are a strong side with a lot of quality players in their team. It will be a tough game on Friday but I’m confident that we can put in a big performance and finish on a winning note.”
John Dalziel (Scotland U-20s): “The squad is looking forward to getting back on the road and facing up to the challenge Ireland will present at home. We were disappointed with the result against France, but there were a lot of positives to take from the performance and we’ll look to build on them for this Friday’s game.
“The mood in camp this week has been focused and determined, and we want to finish what has already been a successful campaign on a high and with a third win.”
Pre-Match Links –
Ireland Under-20s Beaten By Wales In Thrilling Seven-Try Clash
Ireland U-20s Floored By France’s Second Half Surge
Ireland U-20s Stun England With Brilliant 20-Point Blitz
Ireland U-20s Overhaul Italy For Second Six Nations Win
Match Facts –
– The Ireland Under-20s have won their last two matches but have not won three in a row since 2012
– The Ireland U-20s have played three previous matches at Donnybrook with their only previous victory being 19-13 over Italy last Friday
– The Scotland U-20s currently lie in third spot in the table, equalling their best ever finish in the tournament set last year
– Scotland won their most recent away game against Italy in Padova in round 3 and have never won more than one away game in a Six Nations campaign
– The two sides met twice during last season’s World Rugby Under-20 Championship in Italy with Ireland running out victors on both occasions. In the Six Nations, the Scotland U-20s have won two of their last three clashes with Ireland
Recent Meetings –
2014: U-20 RBS 6 Nations: Ireland U-20s 34 Scotland U-20s 7, Dubarry Park
2015: U-20 RBS 6 Nations: Scotland U-20s 17 Ireland U-20s 10, Netherdale; World Rugby U-20 Championship Pool C: Ireland U-20s 24 Scotland U-20s 20, Stadio San Michele, Calvisano; World Rugby U-20 Championship – 7th/8th Place Play-Off: Ireland U-20s 17 Scotland U-20s 9, Stadio Luigi Zaffanella, Viadana
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