Under-20 Six Nations: France Under-20s v Ireland Under-20s

With plenty of momentum behind both sides, this top of the table clash between the Ireland and France Under-20 teams in Aix-en-Provence promises to be an intriguing contest.

2022 UNDER-20 SIX NATIONS CHAMPIONSHIP: Friday, February 11

FRANCE UNDER-20s (2nd) v IRELAND UNDER-20s (1st), Stade Maurice David, 9pm local time/8pm Irish time (live Virgin Media Two/BBC iPlayer/L’Équipe Channel)

Team News: Ireland Under-20 head coach Richie Murphy has made four changes in personnel to his starting XV from last weekend’s bonus point win over Wales in Cork.

Aitzol King, Daniel Hawkshaw, Munster-capped scrum half Ethan Coughlan and Rory McGuire come into the side for the second round trip to France.

King joins Patrick Campbell and Shane Mallon in the back-three, with Hawkshaw partnering Ben Brownlee in midfield.

Coughlan, who made his Munster senior debut in the Heineken Champions Cup before Christmas, comes in at half-back alongside Charlie Tector.

There is just one change in the pack as tighthead McGuire is drafted into the front row alongside Jack Boyle and hooker James McCormick.

UCD team-mates Mark Morrissey and Conor O’Tighearnaigh continue together in the second row, while Reuben Crothers once again leads the side from an unchanged back row.

James McNabney and James Culhane, who was the PwC player-of-the-match last Friday, complete the line-up.

Commenting ahead of the encounter with les Bleuets, Murphy said: “We were pleased with the performance and result in round one, but we’ve had to turn the page quickly ahead of a big challenge on Friday night.

“The players acquitted themselves well last week and we have been able to focus on the areas of our game that need refinement this week.

“There is no greater test than going away to France and the group are excited about that challenge.”

Meanwhile, France boss Jean-Marc Béderède has also opted to freshen up a winning starting line-up, bringing five new faces into the side that defeated Italy 41-15 last week.

Esteban Capilla and Malohi Suta come into the back row in place of captain Killian Tixeront and number 8 Théo Ntamack respectively. Castres Olympique centre Louis le Brun takes the captaincy reins.

There is a third change in the pack where second row Matthieu Uhila of Montpellier swaps in for Hugo Auradou.

Behind the scrum, Montpellier out-half Louis Foursans-Bourdette is preferred this week, while Agen winger Jefferson Joseph replaces Axel Bevia. Toulouse full-back Max Auriac scored 26 points against Italy.

On the bench, front rowers Lucas Martin and Louis Penverne are poised to make their Championship debuts, while back rowers Noé Della Schiava and Jules Coulon and scrum half Aubin Eymeri are also included.

Under-20 Six Nations Results/Fixtures

Under-20 Six Nations Table

FRANCE U-20: Max Auriac (Toulouse); Jefferson Joseph (Agen), Emilien Gailleton (Agen), Louis le Brun (Castres Olympique) (capt), Enzo Reybier (Oyonnax); Louis Foursans-Bourdette (Montpellier), Baptiste Jauneau (Clermont Auvergne); Matis Perchaud (Bayonne), Victor Montgaillard (Perpignan), Robin Bellemand (Colomiers), Samuel M’Foudi (Perpignan), Matthieu Uhila (Montpellier), Léo Banos (Stade Montois), Esteban Capilla (Bayonne), Malohi Suta (Provence).

Replacements: Lucas Martin (Provence), Louis Penverne (La Rochelle), Valentin Simutoga (Clermont Auvergne), Raphaël Portat (Toulouse), Noé Della Schiava (La Rochelle), Jules Coulon (Toulon), Aubin Eymeri (Montpellier), Ethan Randle (Perpignan).

IRELAND U-20: Patrick Campbell (Young Munster RFC/Munster); Aitzol King (Clontarf FC/Leinster), Ben Brownlee (UCD RFC/Leinster), Daniel Hawkshaw (Clontarf FC/Leinster), Shane Mallon (UCD RFC/Leinster); Charlie Tector (Lansdowne FC/Leinster), Ethan Coughlan (Shannon RFC/Munster); Jack Boyle (UCD RFC/Leinster), James McCormick (Ballymena RFC/Ulster), Rory McGuire (UCD RFC/Leinster), Conor O’Tighearnaigh (UCD RFC/Leinster), Mark Morrissey (UCD RFC/Leinster), James McNabney (Ballymena RFC/Ulster), Reuben Crothers (Ballynahinch RFC/Ulster) (capt), James Culhane (UCD RFC/Leinster).

Replacements: Josh Hanlon (Ballynahinch RFC/Ulster), Oisin Michel (Lansdowne FC/Leinster), Darragh McSweeney (Shannon RFC/Munster), Adam McNamee (Malone RFC/Ulster), Conor Moloney (Young Munster RFC/Munster), Matthew Devine (Galway Corinthians RFC/Connacht), Tony Butler (Garryowen FC/Munster), Dylan O’Grady (UCD RFC/Leinster).

Referee: Hollie Davidson (Scotland)
Assistant Referees: Ben Blain, Ian Kenny (both Scotland)
Television Match Official: Sam Grove White (Scotland)

Watch

The game is live on Virgin Media Two in the Republic of Ireland, while viewers in Northern Ireland/the UK can watch it live on the BBC iPlayer.

Pre-Match Quotes – Jimmy Duffy (Ireland U-20s): “We were really pleased with the fact that we kept it on for a large part of the Wales game. We kept building stuff, whether it was attack or defence, we just kept building positive solutions for ourselves.

“Obviously France, they’ve got a lot of contracted players. Guys who’ve had Top 14 experience and otherwise. There’s quite a number of professional players in this group with European and French league experience.

“We just have to be really, really accurate. Try and impose our game on them as much as we possibly can. Physically they’re huge men. They like to throw the ball around as well, similar to the senior side.

“We’ve just got to be nailed on in our detail around set-piece or on our defensive stuff and our attack, to give ourselves the best shot of competing on the weekend.”

Jean-Marc Béderède (France U-20s): “This selection of 23 players is based on the decision made on how to manage the Championship. That is to say, that we are trying to manage the squad for the competition.

“We want to give players the chance to express themselves in high-level games.

“To do that, there are a number of players who were part of the squad at the start and who will have the chance to express themselves on the pitch.”

Pre-Match Links –

Murphy: Home Support Gave The Guys A Great Buzz

‘We’re All Pretty Much Best Mates At This Stage’ – Boyle

Accuracy Key For Duffy As Ireland U-20s Face French Test

Devine Hungry For More After ‘Really Enjoyable’ Start

Where To Watch: 2022 Under-20 Six Nations

Recent Meetings –

2018: Under-20 Six Nations: France U-20s 34 Ireland U-20s 24, Stade Chaban-Delmas, Bordeaux; World Rugby Under-20 Championship – Pool C: France U-20s 26 Ireland U-20s 24, Stade Aime Giral, Perpignan

2019: Under-20 Six Nations: Ireland U-20s 31 France U-20s 29, Irish Independent Park

2021: Under-20 Six Nations: Ireland U-20s 28 France U-20s 34, Cardiff Arms Park

Support the Ireland U-20s on www.facebook.com/irishrugby or search #FutureIsGreen, #FRAvIRE and #ShouldertoShoulder on www.twitter.com/irishrugby.