Matthew Devine and Fionn Gibbons celebrate a turnover during the Ireland Under-20s' warm-up match against Italy at the UCD Bowl ©INPHO/Bryan Keane
Following last summer’s one-off, one-venue format, Under-20 Six Nations rugby makes a welcome return to Musgrave Park where the Ireland Under-20s, sponsored by PwC, take on Wales.
2022 UNDER-20 SIX NATIONS CHAMPIONSHIP: Friday, February 4
IRELAND UNDER-20s v WALES UNDER-20s, Musgrave Park, 8pm (live RTÉ 2 & Player/BBC iPlayer/S4C)
Team News: Reuben Crothers will captain his country as the Ireland U-20s return to their Cork home for a Championship fixture for the first time since March 2020. Buy tickets for tonight’s game here.
Crothers is one of four players named in Richie Murphy’s starting XV who featured during last summer’s rescheduled Six Nations Championship.
Second row Mark Morrissey has been ever-present for Ireland in the engine room during the lead-in to the 2022 Six Nations, while prop Jack Boyle and winger Chay Mullins also add previous U-20 experience to tonight’s selection.
Patrick Campbell, who made his Munster senior debut against Wasps before Christmas, starts at full-back, with Mullins and Shane Mallon on the wings.
Leinster duo Fionn Gibbons and Ben Brownlee are paired together in midfield, while Lansdowne regular Charlie Tector and Connacht scrum half Matthew Devine fill the half-back berths.
Boyle starts in the front row alongside Ulster duo James McCormick and Scott Wilson, and Morrissey is joined in the second row by his UCD club-mate, Conor O’Tighearnaigh.
Crothers leads from the back row, with James McNabney of Ulster selected at openside flanker and Leinster’s James Culhane in the number 8 position.
Murphy will be hoping his bench can make a big impact, with Josh Hanlon, Oisin Michel, Rory McGuire, Adam McNamee and Ronan O’Sullivan providing the options up front.
Ethan Coughlan and Tony Butler, the Munster Academy half-backs, and Aitzol King complete the matchday 23.
Looking forward to the Six Nations opener, the Ireland head coach commented: “We have been building towards Friday for a number of weeks now and the group have put in a huge amount of work in preparation for the Six Nations.
“We’re excited about the challenges ahead, starting with the visit of Wales to Musgrave Park under ‘Friday Night Lights’.
“The prospect of returning to Cork and playing in front of a big crowd, including family and friends, is a really exciting one for the players and the management team.”
For more information on the game including travel and stadium, click here to visit munsterrugby.ie.
Meanwhile, Cardiff flanker Alex Mann returns as Wales Under-20 captain and is among six starters who are playing in their second Six Nations, along with Ospreys centre Joe Hawkins who is on the bench.
Mann’s regional team-mates, Efan Daniel and Nathan Evans, return as hooker and tighthead prop respectively, while Dragons youngster Joe Peard features in the second row.
Scarlets scrum half Harri Williams and his regional colleague Eddie James, who slots in at inside centre, are the only backs who played in last year’s tournament in Cardiff.
Wales, who are coached by Byron Hayward, the former Scarlets defence coach, have not beaten Ireland at this level since a 41-38 victory in Donnybrook in 2018.
IRELAND U-20: Patrick Campbell (Young Munster RFC/Munster); Chay Mullins (Bristol Bears/IQ Rugby), Fionn Gibbons (UCD RFC/Leinster), Ben Brownlee (UCD RFC/Leinster), Shane Mallon (UCD RFC/Leinster); Charlie Tector (Lansdowne FC/Leinster), Matthew Devine (Galway Corinthians RFC/Connacht); Jack Boyle (UCD RFC/Leinster), James McCormick (Ballymena RFC/Ulster), Scott Wilson (Queen’s University Belfast RFC/Ulster), 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), Rory McGuire (UCD RFC/Leinster), Adam McNamee (Malone RFC/Ulster), Ronan O’Sullivan (Highfield RFC/Munster), Ethan Coughlan (Shannon RFC/Munster), Tony Butler (Garryowen FC/Munster), Aitzol King (Clontarf FC/Leinster).
WALES U-20: Cameron Winnett (Cardiff); Harri Houston (Ospreys), Bryn Bradley (Harlequins), Eddie James (Scarlets), Oli Andrew (Dragons); Daniel Edwards (Ospreys), Harri Williams (Scarlets); Joe Cowell (Cardiff Metropolitan University), Efan Daniel (Cardiff), Nathan Evans (Cardiff), Joe Peard (Dragons), Lewis Jones (Ospreys), Alex Mann (Cardiff) (capt), Ethan Fackrell (Cardiff), Ben Moa (Dragons).
Replacements: Morgan Veness (Ealing Trailfinders), Rhys Barratt (Cardiff), Ellis Fackrell (Ospreys), Benji Williams (Ospreys), Tom Cowan (Bath), Morgan Lloyd (Dragons), Jac Lloyd (Bristol Bears), Joe Hawkins (Ospreys).
Referee: Julianne Zussman (Canada)
Assistant Referees: Maria Beatrice Benvenuti, Maria Giovanna Pacifico (both Italy)
Television Match Official: Ian Tempest (England)
The game is live on RTÉ 2 and the RTE Player in the Republic of Ireland, while viewers in Northern Ireland/the UK can watch it live on the BBC iPlayer.
Pre-Match Quotes – Reuben Crothers (Ireland U-20s): “It is a real privilege to be captain of your country. It’s an honour, but I have so many leaders around me in the team that it makes my job a lot easier.
“If I am looking for a bit of advice in any way I can just turn to them. I found out at the start of the week just before we came into this camp.
“Richie gave me a phone call a few days before camp started. I was pretty calm on the phone to Richie, but inside I was over the moon.
“It is going to be a huge benefit to us, having the home crowd there. Hopefully we are going to get somewhere close to full capacity on Friday. It’s going to be an enjoyable experience having the Cork crowd around us.”
Byron Hayward (Wales U-20s): “Ireland are always a strong side. They have a great system bringing players through so it is going to be a massive challenge for us but one we’re looking forward to.
“It’s simply just great to see how much the boys are looking forward to it – you can see it in the squad, they are so looking forward to just playing rugby in a meaningful game in front of a crowd.
“People forget that the players have lost nearly two years of their development, and for a lot of the boys this could be their only chance of playing and representing their country.”
Pre-Match Links –
Murphy Makes Final Plans For Ireland U-20 Opener
Crothers: Home Crowd Will Be A Huge Benefit To Us
Where To Watch: 2022 Under-20 Six Nations
Neville Among Top Female Referees Appointed To U-20 Six Nations
Recent Meetings –
2019: Under-20 Six Nations: Wales U-20s 17 Ireland U-20s 26, Zip World Stadium, Parc Eirias, Colwyn Bay
2020: Under-20 Six Nations: Ireland U-20s 36 Wales U-20s 22, Irish Independent Park
2021: Under-20 Six Nations: Wales U-20s 12 Ireland U-20s 40, Cardiff Arms Park
Support the Ireland U-20s on www.facebook.com/irishrugby or search #FutureIsGreen, #IREvWAL and #ShouldertoShoulder on www.twitter.com/irishrugby.
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