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

The red of Cork and Munster makes way for the green of Ireland tonight as Irish Independent Park hosts an Under-20 Six Nations fixture for the first time. The Ireland U-20s begin a new era on Leeside with plenty of excitement surrounding a 40-man squad that includes five returning players.

2019 UNDER-20 SIX NATIONS CHAMPIONSHIP: Friday, February 1

IRELAND UNDER-20s v ENGLAND UNDER-20s, Irish Independent Park, 7.15pm (live RTÉ 2/www.rte.ie/player)

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

Team News: Head coach Noel McNamara has announced the Ireland Under-20 team, sponsored by PwC, to play England in the opening game of the U-20 Six Nations. Three of the starters played for the U-20s last season – out-half Harry Byrne, who wins his 11th cap at this level, hooker Dylan Tierney-Martin and lock Charlie Ryan.

Scott Penny, who has scored two tries in four GUINNESS PRO14 appearance for Leinster, features in the back row alongside Martin Moloney and Cork native John Hodnett, a try scorer in both of the Ireland U-20s’ two warm-up wins over the Leinster and Munster Development teams last month.

Ryan is joined by Buccaneers’ Niall Murray in the second row, while Josh Wycherley, younger brother of Munster’s Fineen Wycherley, and Dublin University’s Thomas Clarkson get the nod to start either side of Connacht Academy member Tierney-Martin in the front row.

Behind the scrum, the family affair continues with Byrne, whose older brother Ross made his Ireland senior debut in November, teaming up with former Ireland Under-18 Schools captain Craig Casey at half-back. Casey and Ryan are vice-captains of the U-20 squad, supporting newly-appointed skipper David Hawkshaw.

Ireland will field an all-Leinster centre pairing in Hawkshaw and Liam Turner, with Munster providing all three members of the back-three. Jonathan Wren, who plays for nearby Cork Constitution, Conor McPhillips and full-back Jake Flannery will look to pose a threat out wide and in the air.

All four provinces are represented on the replacements bench with eight more Under-20 debutants waiting in the wings, including 18-year-old Ulster Academy flanker David McCann and talented Wexford youngster Brian Deeny (pictured below) who won a European Championship silver medal with the Ireland U-18 Sevens side last year.

Meanwhile, the England Under-20s are captained by Northampton Saints’ Fraser Dingwall at outside centre and include senior international Ted Hill, the team’s vice-captain, at blindside flanker. Nine players in the starting XV have been capped before at this level.

Seven of those players got game-time in the final of last summer’s World Rugby Under-20 Championship in France. As well as Dingwall and Hill, lock Joel Kpoku, flanker Aaron Hinkley, number 8 Tom Willis, out-half Marcus Smith and centre Tom Hardwick were part of the side that lost to France in Beziers.

Prop Marcus Street will be appearing in his third U-20 Six Nations tournament, while England’s replacements also boast four players capped at this age-grade. Among the replacements is Sale Sharks centre Cameron Redpath who earned selection for the senior tour to South Africa last summer, before being ruled out through injury.

In the starting XV, front rowers Olly Adkins and Nic Dolly, lock Alex Coles, scrum half Sam Maunder and winger Ollie Sleightholme will all make their debuts for the England U-20s with Ben Atkins, Bevan Rodd, Rusiate Tuima and Ollie Fox set to do likewise as replacements.

IRELAND U-20: Jake Flannery (Shannon/Munster); Conor Phillips (Young Munster/Munster), Liam Turner (Dublin University/Leinster), David Hawkshaw (Clontarf/Leinster) (capt), Jonathan Wren (Cork Constitution/Munster); Harry Byrne (Lansdowne/Leinster), Craig Casey (Shannon/Munster); Josh Wycherley (Young Munster/Munster), Dylan Tierney-Martin (Corinthians/Connacht), Thomas Clarkson (Dublin University/Leinster), Charlie Ryan (UCD/Leinster), Niall Murray (Buccaneers/Connacht), Martin Moloney (Old Belvedere/Leinster), Scott Penny (UCD/Leinster), John Hodnett (UCC/Munster).

Replacements: John McKee (Old Belvedere/Leinster), Michael Milne (UCD/Leinster), Ryan Lomas (Galwegians/Connacht), Brian Deeny (Clontarf/Leinster), David McCann (Banbridge/Ulster), Cormac Foley (St. Mary’s College/Leinster), Sean French (Cork Constitution/Munster), Rob Russell (Dublin University/Leinster).

ENGLAND U-20: Josh Hodge (Newcastle Falcons); Ollie Sleightholme (Northampton Saints), Fraser Dingwall (Northampton Saints) (capt), Tom Hardwick (Leicester Tigers), Cadan Murley (Harlequins); Marcus Smith (Harlequins), Sam Maunder (Exeter Chiefs); Olly Adkins (Gloucester), Nic Dolly (Sale Sharks), Marcus Street (Exeter Chiefs), Joel Kpoku (Saracens), Alex Coles (Northampton Saints), Ted Hill (Worcester Warriors), Aaron Hinkley (Gloucester), Tom Willis (Wasps).

Replacements:Ben Atkins (London Irish), Bevan Rodd (Sale Sharks), Joe Heyes (Leicester Tigers), James Scott (Worcester Warriors), Rusiate Tuima (Exeter Chiefs), Ollie Fox (Yorkshire Carnegie), Cameron Redpath (Sale Sharks), Ollie Lawrence (Worcester Warriors).

Referee: Ludovic Cayre (France)
Assistant Referees: Vincent Blasco Baqué, Nicolas Datas (both France)
Television Match Official: Denis Grenouillet (France)

Match Odds (Paddy Power): Ireland U-20s to win: 4/1; Draw: 25/1; England U-20s to win: 1/6

Pre-Match Quotes – Noel McNamara (Ireland U-20s): “The players have prepared very well since we first came together before Christmas. We had a good camp last week in Cork and are looking forward to the challenge that England will bring this Friday night.

“We have a very talented group of players in the squad, and there were a number of tight calls on selection for this game. There’s a lot of rugby to be played over the coming weeks and months, so the competitiveness in the squad is a real positive and bodes well for the season ahead.

“Everyone involved is excited to be heading to Irish Independent Park for this opening fixture. It’s a great venue with a nice fast pitch, and we’re looking forward to getting the campaign underway in front of an energetic and lively crowd in Cork.”

Steve Bates (England U-20s): “The message to the squad this week has been that this is a great opportunity for them to show how good they are at the start of another Six Nations campaign and they should play with confidence. This is a very exciting, talented group of players and they should not forget to play like it.

“We have to go out there on Friday and really express ourselves on the pitch but we know we have to respect the opposition who will be positive about their chances in this competition as well. This is a team full of experience, who are hugely talented and it’s shame we can only pick 15 as we’ve left out some very good players.

“The replacements will all be expected to make an impact on Friday night, while the wider squad who will not be in Ireland will also be required at various points in the competition, and we need everyone to stay involved as they will play further down the line.”

Pre-Match Links –

Tierney-Martin On His Move From Flanker To ‘Groundhog Hooker’

Casey: We’ve A Lot Of Leaders In An Exciting Squad

Ireland U-20 Ace Byrne Loving Life With Leinster And Lansdowne

U-20 Debut In Cork A ‘Dream Come True’ For Wycherley

Ireland Under-20s’ Captain’s Run At Irish Independent Park

Recent Meetings –

2016: U-20 Six Nations: England U-20s 20 Ireland U-20s 26, Kingston Park, Newcastle; World Rugby U-20 Championship Final: England U-20s 45 Ireland U-20s 21, AJ Bell Stadium, Salford

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

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

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