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Under-20 Six Nations Preview: England Under-20s v Ireland Under-20s

Second row Brian Deeny runs in a try during the Ireland Under-20s' most recent meeting with England at last season's World Rugby U-20 Championship in Argentina ©INPHO/Pablo Gasparini

The Ireland Under-20s’ first away trip of the season takes them to Franklin’s Gardens, the home of Northampton Saints. Ireland and England will put their unbeaten records on the line in a mouth-watering U-20 Six Nations top of the table clash.

2020 UNDER-20 SIX NATIONS CHAMPIONSHIP: Friday, February 21

ENGLAND UNDER-20s (2nd) v IRELAND UNDER-20s (1st), Franklin’s Gardens, Northampton, 7.45pm (live Sky Sports Mix)

Buy your ticket(s) for England Under-20s v Ireland Under-20s.

Team News: Ireland Under-20 head coach Noel McNamara has made four changes to the team that defeated Wales 36-20 last time out, with Ulster duo Ethan McIlroy and Hayden Hyde both returning to the starting XV after illness.

In the pack, John McKee comes in for his first start of the Championship at hooker, while Mark Hernan’s unavailability due to injury has forced a back row reshuffle. Dublin University flanker Alex Soroka comes in for his full Ireland U-20 debut having come off the bench against Scotland.

Soroka starts at blindside with Sean O’Brien switching to the openside and captain David McCann continuing at the back of the scrum. The second row pairing of Thomas Ahern and Brian Deeny remains unchanged.

McKee packs down in the front row alongside Clane RFC product Marcus Hanan, who retains his starting place after an impressive display against Wales, and the ever-present Thomas Clarkson, who has now started each of Ireland’s last eight Under-20 Six Nations games at tighthead.

McIlroy, who featured in the first round win over Scotland, starts on the right wing with Oran McNulty and Andrew Smith continuing in the back three. Hyde reforms his centre partnership with Dan Kelly.

Out-half Jack Crowley has scored 29 points in this year’s Championship and partners Lewis Finlay in Ireland’s unchanged half-back pairing, and the fit-again Max O’Reilly, who is also involved in the Ireland Sevens programme, is named among the replacements.

Tom Stewart, Harry Noonan, Charlie Ward, Joe McCarthy and Cian Prendergast will be hoping to make a big impact off the bench, with scrum half Ben Murphy and Tim Corkery completing the matchday 23.

Speaking ahead of the trip to Northampton, McNamara said: “We’re pleased to have won the opening two games, while still recognising that there is room for growth. The players are ambitious and they are constantly looking for improvements in their performance, both individually and collectively.

“That’s the target for Friday night. The fallow week (last week) was important as it allowed the players to take a breath and recover, as well as review the first block of games and look ahead to this weekend.

“We also had a great session with the Ireland senior team at our home in Irish Independent Park and are now firmly focused on the challenge ahead against England.”

Meanwhile, England U-20 head coach Alan Dickens has made six personnel changes to his side, bringing in Saracens’ Sam Crean for his first cap with fellow prop Luke Green from London Irish returning to the starting line-up.

Lock Hugh Tizard starts his first game of the U-20 Six Nations Championship, as does flanker Josh Gray. Gloucester’s George Barton comes in at out-half, while centre Charlie Watson, another of the Saracens contingent, wins his first cap for England Under-20s.

Among the replacements are the uncapped quartet of Chunya Munga, Rob Farrar, Blake Boyland and Will Haydon-Wood. Dickens’ charges have won their first two fixtures – a 29-24 bonus point win over France in Grenoble, as well as a 21-17 defeat of Scotland in Edinburgh.

Under-20 Six Nations Fixtures/Results

Under-20 Six Nations Table

ENGLAND U-20: Freddie Steward (Leicester Tigers); Gabriel Hamer-Webb (Bath), Connor Doherty (Sale Sharks), Charlie Watson (Saracens), Tom Roebuck (Sale Sharks); George Barton (Gloucester), Sam Maunder (Exeter Chiefs) (capt); Sam Crean (Saracens), Theo Dan (Saracens), Luke Green (London Irish), Hugh Tizard (Harlequins), George Hammond (Harlequins), Richard Capstick (Exeter Chiefs), Josh Gray (Gloucester), Rusiate Tuima (Exeter Chiefs).

Replacements: Ben Atkins (London Irish), Emmanuel Iyogun (Northampton Saints), Harvey Beaton (Saracens), Chunya Munga (London Irish), Rob Farrar (Newcastle Falcons), Blake Boyland (Bristol Bears), Will Haydon-Wood (Newcastle Falcons), Max Ojomoh (Bath).

IRELAND U-20: Oran McNulty (Millfield School/Galway Corinthians RFC/Connacht), Ethan McIlroy (Methody College/Queen’s University RFC/Ulster), Dan Kelly (Kirkham Grammar/Loughborough University/IQ Rugby), Hayden Hyde (Cranleigh School/Ballynahinch RFC/Ulster), Andrew Smith (St. Michael’s College/Clontarf FC/Leinster); Jack Crowley (Bandon RFC/Cork Constitution FC/Munster), Lewis Finlay (Down High School/Malone RFC/Ulster); Marcus Hanan (Clane RFC/Old Belvedere RFC/Leinster), John McKee (Campbell College/Old Belvedere RFC/Leinster), Thomas Clarkson (Blackrock College/Dublin University FC/Leinster), Thomas Ahern (Waterpark RFC/Shannon RFC/Munster), Brian Deeny (Wexford Wanderers RFC/Clontarf FC/Leinster), Alex Soroka (Belvedere College/Dublin University FC/Leinster), Sean O’Brien (Blackrock College/UCD RFC/Leinster), David McCann (RBAI/Banbridge RFC/Ulster) (capt).

Replacements: Tom Stewart (Belfast Royal Academy/Ballynahinch RFC/Ulster), Harry Noonan (Greystones RFC/Old Wesley RFC/Leinster), Charlie Ward (Tullow RFC/Clontarf FC/Leinster), Joe McCarthy (Blackrock College/Dublin University FC/Leinster), Cian Prendergast (Newbridge College/UCD RFC/Leinster), Ben Murphy (Presentation College Bray/Clontarf FC/Leinster), Tim Corkery (Kilkenny RFC/Lansdowne FC/Leinster), Max O’Reilly (St. Gerard’s School/Dublin University FC/Leinster).

Referee: Ben Blain (Scotland)
Assistant Referees: Finlay Brown, Ross Mabon (both Scotland)
Television Match Official: Nick Edwards (England)

Match Odds (Paddy Power): England U-20s to win: 1/4; Draw: 22/1; Ireland U-20s to win: 3/1

Pre-Match Quotes – Colm Tucker (Ireland U-20s): “We had a very good two-day camp last week in Cork, including a hit-out against the senior team which was massively beneficial. It’s a hugely challenging week, a very different one.

“We’ve had the home comforts of Cork and a brilliant crowd but going across to Franklin’s Gardens poses a different challenge and England, conversely, have had two away games to start so they’ll have the benefit of the home crowd.

“It’s a different challenge but we’ll have to get our energy off each other, we’ll have to mind the ball a little bit better and play rugby in the right areas. Overall, we’re very much looking forward to it.

“Confidence is in a good place. We’ve had two good performances but we’ve a lot of areas we still need to get better in. There is a lot of room for growth for us, and we, as coaches, are aware of that and the squad are aware of that. We’ve plenty to keep us grounded and plenty to keep us awake at night to keep working hard at.”

Alan Dickens (England U-20s): “Friday sees us come up against a strong Ireland side who are also unbeaten in this year’s tournament and who are the U-20 Grand Slam champions so we know how tough a challenge it is going to be. For us it’s all about building through the tournament and improving with each game.

“A feature of our opening two games has been the squad’s ability to be clinical and control the game at key periods, but also their spirit and we know that will be important on Friday night.

“We’ve made changes so this is a great chance for those players to show how good they are and stake a claim for their rest of the Championship. We have some players unavailable due to club commitments so that is a great opportunity for them to get experience playing Premiership rugby and will, no doubt, aid their development as future senior professionals.”

Pre-Match Links –

In Pics: Ireland Senior & Under-20 Squads Train Together In Cork

Crowley Hungry To Keep Learning With Ireland Under-20s

‘There’s A Lot More For This Team To Give’ – Stewart

McNamara: It’s Absolutely Essential For The Growth Of These Players

Opta Match Facts:

– England and Ireland are the two remaining unbeaten teams in the Under-20 Six Nations this year. Between them they have won eight of the 12 previous editions of the tournament (England six times and Ireland twice)

– England have won 23 of their last 26 home games in the U-20 Six Nations, however two of their three defeats in that run have come at the hands of Ireland (2010 and 2016; also v Wales in 2016)

– Ireland are on a seven-match winning run in the U-20 Six Nations. Only twice before has any team enjoyed a longer winning run in the Championship – England (10, 2010-2012) and Wales (8, 2015-2017)

– Ireland have won six of their last nine away games in the U-20 Six Nations, with half of those wins seeing them come from behind at half-time to secure the victory

– Ireland have scored more points (74) and tries (11) than any other side in the 2020 U-20 Six Nations, England rank second for tries scored (7) so far

– Ireland are the only side to have won 100% of their own lineouts in the U-20 Six Nations this year so far, claiming all 15 they have taken

– England have been shown three yellow cards in this U-20 Six Nations campaign already, as many as the other sides combined. They have also conceded a competition-high 29 penalties

– Five of Ireland’s 11 tries in this U-20 Six Nations campaign have been scored on the back of a turnover. The other sides have just three tries combined in this fashion

– Ireland captain David McCann ranks second for carries (36) and fifth for tackles (34) in the U-20 Six Nations this season. In fact, he is the only player to make 30+ tackles and 30+ carries so far

– England and Saracens out-half Manu Vunipola has made the most tackles (27) of any back in the U-20 Six Nations this year, although he has also missed the joint-most of any back too (6)

Recent Meetings –

2017: Under-20 Six Nations: Ireland U-20s 10 England U-20s 14, Donnybrook

2018: Under-20 Six Nations: England U-20s 48 Ireland U-20s 15, Ricoh Arena, Coventry

2019: Under-20 Six Nations: Ireland U-20s 35 England U-20s 27, Irish Independent Park; World Rugby Under-20 Championship – Pool B: England U-20s 26 Ireland U-20s 42, Club de Rugby Atheneo Immaculada, Santa Fe; World Rugby Under-20 Championship – 5th-8th Place Play-Off: Ireland U-20s 23 Ireland U-20s 30, Club Old Resian, Rosario

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