The Ireland Under-20s are pictured with head coach Richie Murphy prior to their second round clash with France in Aix-en-Provence ©INPHO/Evan Treacy
After their late heroics against France, the Ireland Under-20s (sponsored by PwC) will be backed by another vocal Musgrave Park crowd when they face Italy, the recent conquerors of England.
2022 UNDER-20 SIX NATIONS CHAMPIONSHIP: Friday, February 25
IRELAND UNDER-20s (1st) v ITALY UNDER-20s (5th), Musgrave Park, 8pm (live Virgin Media Two/BBC iPlayer/Sky Sport Italia Uno)
Click here to buy your ticket(s) for the Ireland Under-20s’ Cork clash with Italy.
Team News: Ireland U-20 head coach Richie Murphy has made four personnel changes to the team that won against France, with Chay Mullins, Jude Postlethwaite, Fionn Gibbons and Matthew Devine all coming into the starting XV.
Winger Mullins slots back into the back-three having scored a brace of tries against Wales, while Munster’s Patrick Campbell continues at full-back and Gibbons shifts to the left wing.
Having featured during last summer’s U-20 Six Nations in Cardiff, Postlethwaite, who also has HSBC World Rugby Sevens experience with Ireland, comes into midfield to partner Ben Brownlee for his first appearance of the 2022 Championship.
Devine joins Charlie Tector at half-back, operating behind an unchanged starting pack for the visit of Italy. Ulster’s Reuben Crothers once again captains Murphy’s youngsters from the back row.
Speaking ahead of the third round game, the Ireland head coach said: “We’ve had another good week of preparation in the build-up to what we know will be a tough challenge.
“Italy enjoyed a brilliant win over England last time out and certainly we’ll need to step it up another gear this week in front of our home supporters.
“The atmosphere at Musgrave Park for the Wales game was memorable and it lifted the whole group to have that vocal and strong home support behind us. We’re excited to get back to Cork on Friday night and hopefully build on our performances to date.”
Meanwhile, Italy boss Massimo Brunello has largely kept faith with the team that claimed an historic 6-0 win over England in Treviso during the last round.
Federico Cuminetti is the only change in a rejigged back-line led by Valorugby Emilia out-half Nicolò Teneggi, who kicked the two decisive penalties last time out.
HBS Colorno’s Francisco Carlo Mey moves from full-back to midfield, with Lorenzo Pani now donning the number 15 jersey. Dewi Passarella goes from outside to inside centre.
Ross Vintcent, a member of the Italian national Academy, comes in at openside flanker, alongside captain Giacomo Ferrari and David Odiase in the back row.
Under-20 Six Nations Results/Fixtures
IRELAND U-20: Patrick Campbell (Young Munster RFC/Munster); Chay Mullins (Bristol Bears/IQ Rugby), Jude Postlethwaite (Banbridge RFC/Ulster), Ben Brownlee (UCD RFC/Leinster), Fionn Gibbons (UCD RFC/Leinster); Charlie Tector (Lansdowne FC/Leinster), Matthew Devine (Galway Corinthians RFC/Connacht); 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), Lorcan McLoughlin (Queen’s University Belfast RFC/Ulster), Ethan Coughlan (Shannon RFC/Munster), Tony Butler (Garryowen FC/Munster), Dylan O’Grady (UCD RFC/Leinster).
ITALY U-20: Lorenzo Pani (Benetton Rugby Treviso Srl); Federico Cuminetti (Asd Rugby Lyons), Francois Carlo Mey (HBS Colorno), Dewi Passarella (Ruggers Tarvisium Asd), Filippo Lazzarin (Petrarca Rugby); Nicolò Teneggi (Valorugby Emilia), Alessandro Garbisi (Mogliano Rugby 1969 Ssd Arl); Luca Rizzoli (Unione Rugby Capitolina), Lapo Frangini (Accademia Nazionale Ivan Francescato), Riccardo Genovese (Cus Torino), Alessandro Ortombina (Valorugby Emilia), Riccardo Andreoli (FEMI-CZ Rovigo), David Odiase (HBS Colorno), Ross Vintcent (Accademia Nazionale Ivan Francescato), Giacomo Ferrari (Unione Rugby Capitolina) (capt).
Replacements: Tommaso Scramoncin (Petrarca Rugby), Valerio Bizzotto (Rugby Bassano 1976), Riccardo Bartolini (Florentia Rugby Asd), Lizardo Rodriguez Carlos Berlese (Ruggers Tarvisium Asd), Giovanni Cenedese (Villorba Rugby), Gianluca Tomaselli (G.S. Fiamme Oro Rugby Roma), Giovanni Sante (Mogliano Rugby 1969), Arturo Fusari (G.S. Fiamme Oro Rugby Roma).
Referee: Aled Evans (Wales)
Assistant Referees: Luc Ramos, Benoit Rousselet (both France)
Television Match Official: Ben Whitehouse (Wales)
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 – James McCormick (Ireland U-20s): “We came up against two different teams (Wales and France) and got two different results. It gives us a lot of confidence that we can get ahead and stay ahead, and then we can go away and we went behind but we came back to win again.
“It’s good experience for all the players knowing what we need to do in those situations if we come across them again going into this week.
“Tries come if you do all your individual stuff right and the team works together. The guy who scores the tries isn’t necessarily on top, it’s only down to the hard work of the rest of your team-mates. It’s nice to get a couple but it’s not really a big focus.
“Italy had a really good performance (against England in round two), they played very well. Big, dominant pack and a good back-line to go with that.”
Massimo Brunello (Italy U-20s): “Ireland are a team that makes very few mistakes and that knows how to adapt very well to game situations. Two wins out of two speaks for itself.
“For our part, we must remain focused and be good at managing noise of the result against England, channeling all that positivity in the most functional sense to our game-plan, and above all keeping our feet firmly on the ground, aware but humble.
“For Friday’s match we are also adapting our game-plan to the conditions, given that a strong wind is expected, which, if confirmed, would inevitably affect the game.”
Pre-Match Links –
Ireland Under-20s Back With A Bang At Cork Fortress
Ireland U-20s Outlast France In Dramatic Late Victory
In Pics: Strong Finish Secures Second Win For Ireland Under-20s
Teneggi Kicks Italy To Historic Victory Over England
Where To Watch: 2022 Under-20 Six Nations
Recent Meetings –
2018: Under-20 Six Nations: Ireland U-20s 38 Italy U-20s 34, Energia Park, Donnybrook
2019: Under-20 Six Nations: Italy U-20s 14 Ireland U-20s 34, Stadio Centro d’Italia, Rieti; World Rugby Under-20 Championship – Pool B: Italy U-20s 14 Ireland U-20s 38, Club de Rugby Ateneo Inmaculada, Santa Fe
2021: Under-20 Six Nations: Italy Under-20s 23 Ireland Under-20s 30, Cardiff Arms Park
Support the Ireland U-20s on www.facebook.com/irishrugby or search #FutureIsGreen, #IREvITA and #ShouldertoShoulder on www.twitter.com/irishrugby.
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