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

Irish Independent Park will be rocking again tonight for the Ireland Under-20s’ second and final home game of the U-20 Six Nations, as Noel McNamara’s unbeaten side entertain last year’s champions France in an intriguing top of the table clash.

2019 UNDER-20 SIX NATIONS CHAMPIONSHIP: Friday, March 8

IRELAND UNDER-20s (1st) v FRANCE UNDER-20s (2nd), Irish Independent Park, 7.15pm (live RTÉ 2/www.rte.ie/player/France 4)

Team News: Head coach Noel McNamara has made two enforced changes to the Ireland Under-20 team, sponsored by PwC, to face France in Cork. Over 6,700 tickets have already been sold for what promises to be a very entertaining match – click here to buy your ticket(s).

Captain David Hawkshaw, who is nursing a knee injury, and top points scorer Harry Byrne, a late withdrawal through injury, both miss out. Cork native Sean French comes in at inside centre in place of Hawkshaw, on the back of scoring five tries in two All-Ireland League games for Cork Constitution.

Byrne’s place at out-half goes to Garryowen and Munster Academy talent Ben Healy, who made his Ireland U-20 debut off the bench against Italy a fortnight ago. He will play behind an unchanged pack, with sturdy props Josh Wycherley and Thomas Clarkson again combining with Connacht Academy hooker Dylan Tierney-Martin, one of the Under-20 Six Nations top try scorers with three so far.

UCD lock Charlie Ryan takes the captaincy reins from Hawkshaw and is partnered again in the engine room by Buccaneers’ Niall Murray. There is also familiar look to the back row unit as Martin Moloney, Scott Penny and UCC number 8 John Hodnett team up for the fourth match in a row.

French forms a new centre partnership with Liam Turner, and Ulster’s Angus Kernohan, who returned on the right wing in the last round, will get his first taste of the Irish Independent Park atmosphere, alongside Jake Flannery and Jonathan Wren in the back-three.

Dublin University second row Ryan Baird features on the bench and is hoping to win his first Under-20 cap this evening, as is Ryan Lomas, the Galwegians prop, who returns to the matchday squad in place of the injured Michael Milne. With Healy promoted from the bench, his Munster Academy colleague James McCarthy is added to the replacements.

Meanwhile, the France U-20s have a number of players back from Top 14 duty, including centre and captain Arthur Vincent, as they make nine personnel changes and one positional switch to the side that won 42-27 at home to Scotland two weeks ago.

It is the same back-line which started in the opening two rounds of the Championship, including their 31-19 loss to England in Exeter. Half-backs Louis Carbonel and Quentin Delord are reunited while Pau winger Vincent Pinto is chasing his third try of the tournament. A tally that Racing 92 powerhouse Jordan Joseph is already on.

Joseph anchors a powerful pack with Sacha Zegueur’s return at openside flanker seeing La Rochelle’s Paul Boudehent move to the blindside. With Killian Geraci and Thomas Lavault both injured, Gauthier Maravat is joined in the second row by Toulon’s Florent Vanverberghe. Front rowers Jean-Baptiste Gros and Rayne Barka complete the changes.

Under-20 Six Nations Results/Fixtures

Under-20 Six Nations Table

IRELAND U-20: Jake Flannery (Shannon/Munster); Angus Kernohan (Queen’s University/Ulster), Liam Turner (Dublin University/Leinster), Sean French (Cork Constitution/Munster), Jonathan Wren (Cork Constitution/Munster); Ben Healy (Garryowen/Munster), Craig Casey (Shannon/Munster); Josh Wycherley (Young Munster/Munster), Dylan Tierney-Martin (Corinthians/Connacht), Thomas Clarkson (Dublin University/Leinster), Charlie Ryan (UCD/Leinster) (capt), Niall Murray (Buccaneers/Connacht), Martin Moloney (Old Belvedere/Leinster), Scott Penny (UCD/Leinster), John Hodnett (UCC/Munster).

Replacements: John McKee (Old Belvedere/Leinster), Callum Reid (Banbridge/Ulster), Ryan Lomas (Galwegians/Connacht), Ryan Baird (Dublin University/Leinster), David McCann (Banbridge/Ulster), Cormac Foley (St. Mary’s College/Leinster), Rob Russell (Dublin University/Leinster), James McCarthy (UL Bohemians/Munster).

FRANCE U-20: Alexandre de Nardi (Stade Montois); Vincent Pinto (Section Paloise), Arthur Vincent (Montpellier RC) (capt), Julien Delbouis (Stade Francais Paris), Matthis Lebel (Stade Toulousain); Louis Carbonel (RC Toulon), Quentin Delord (Lyon OU); Jean-Baptiste Gros (RC Toulon), Rayne Barka (Section Paloise), Alex Burin (SU Agen), Gauthier Maravat (SU Agen), Florent Vanverberghe (RC Toulon), Paul Boudehent (Stade Rochelais), Sacha Zegueur (US Oyonnax), Jordan Joseph (Racing 92).

Replacements: Loris Zarantonello (US Montauban), Eli Eglaine (FC Grenoble), Giorgi Beria (AS Clermont Auvergne), Adrien Warion (Provence Rugby), Maxence Lemardelet (AS Clermont Auvergne), Kevin Viallard (AS Clermont Auvergne), Mathieu Smaili (RC Toulon), Ethan Dumortier (Lyon OU).

Referee: Craig Maxwell-Keys (England)
Assistant Referees: Adam Leal, George Selwood (both England)
Television Match Official: Stuart Terheege (England)

Match Odds (Paddy Power): Ireland U-20s to win: 5/4; Draw: 16/1; France U-20s to win: 8/11

Pre-Match Quotes – Noel McNamara (Ireland U-20s):

We were pleased to come home from Italy with a bonus point win, but there are still elements that we feel can be improved on, so it’s about continuing to progress as we move through the tournament.

“The French are still in the hunt for the title and they are a big side, so for us it’s about sticking to our game-plan and looking to match their physicality. The players took so much from the atmosphere at Irish Independent Park on the opening night against England and are itching to get back out there this week.

“It’s really unfortunate for David Hawkshaw to miss out. He’s been in great form on the pitch and has been a fantastic leader of the side. Everyone wishes him well in his recovery. Sean French has done really well in the All-Ireland League over the last few weeks, so we know he has the ability to perform in front of his home crowd in Cork.”

Recent Meetings –

2016: Under-20 Six Nations: France U-20s 34 Ireland U-20s 13, Parc des Sports et de l’Amitie, Narbonne

2017: Under-20 Six Nations: Ireland U-20s 27 France U-20s 22, Donnybrook

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

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