PwC's Ger O'Mahoney is pictured with newly-appointed Ireland Under-20 captain David McCann and his team-mates Oran McNulty, Thomas Ahern and Thomas Clarkson ©INPHO/Ryan Byrne
Upwards of 14,000 fans, including a sell-out crowd against France, attended the Ireland Under-20s’ two home games last season, and head coach Noel McNamara wants another ‘raucous reception’ to greet the three visiting teams to Cork in 2020.
2020 UNDER-20 SIX NATIONS CHAMPIONSHIP: Friday, January 31
IRELAND UNDER-20s v SCOTLAND UNDER-20s, Irish Independent Park, 7.15pm (live RTÉ 2/www.rte.ie/player)
Buy your ticket(s) for Ireland Under-20s v Scotland Under-20s on Ticketmaster.ie.
Team News: Ulster Academy back rower David McCann will captain Ireland as one of five returning players from last year named in McNamara’s first starting XV of the Championship, alongside Charlie Ward, Thomas Clarkson, Brian Deeny and Thomas Ahern.
There is a wealth of experience in the pack with Clontarf loosehead Ward and Ulster hooker Tom Stewart packing down in the front row alongside Leinster Academy tighthead and vice-captain Clarkson, who started all five of last season’s Grand Slam-winning campaign.
Deeny and towering Munster Academy lock Ahern pair up together in the second row with Sean O’Brien and Mark Hernan joining newly-appointed captain McCann in the back row to complete the pack, with a further three Ulster players named in the back-line.
Lewis Finlay starts at scrum half and continues his exciting half-back partnership with Cork Constitution out-half Jack Crowley, who pulled the strings for the Ireland Under-20s in their 43-27 defeat of the Munster Development side over Christmas.
Ulster Academy centre Hayden Hyde and Dan Kelly, who has come through the IQ Rugby programme, are selected in midfield, with Connacht’s Oran McNulty, Ethan McIlroy and Leinster winger Andrew Smith forming the back-three.
Hooker John McKee won seven caps during last season’s U-20 Six Nations and World Rugby U-20 Championship campaigns. He is the sixth returning player to feature in the matchday 23, as he provides front row cover alongside Ciaran Ryan and Ryan McMahon.
Joe McCarthy and Alexis Soroka will hope to make a big impact off the bench if called upon, while Ben Murphy, Tim Corkery and Luis Faria complete McNamara’s first selection of the 2020 season.
Meanwhile, Southern Knights’ Rory Darge will skipper the Scotland Under-20s from the number 8 position, in the first game since Sean Lineen’s recent return as their head coach.
Lineen, who last coached the Scotland U-20s in 2015, has included 17 players who have lined out in Scotland’s newly-created FOSROC Super6 this season. Twelve members of the matchday squad have previous U-20 international experience.
Sale Sharks hooker Ewan Ashman will be flanked by Alex Maxwell and Dan Gamble in the front row, with Kieron Watt and Cameron Henderson packing down together the second row.
Watt’s Watsonians club-mate Connor Boyle, last season’s Scotland U-20 captain who touched down against Ireland twelve months ago, features in the back row alongside new skipper Darge and Jack Hill. Nathan Chamberlain from Bristol Bears combines with Roan Frostwick at half-back.
Six different clubs are represented across the visitors’ back-line as Matthew Currie and Robbie McCallum join forces in the centre, and Ayrshire Bulls full-back Ollie Smith anchors a back-three that has Jacob Henry and Jack Blain on either wing.
Two players who have been brought into the training squad feature on the bench in the shape of Mak Wilson and Kieran Watt. Thomas Lambert, the versatile Sydney University prop, is also among the replacement forwards, and Kyle McGhie of Boroughmuir Bears will offer a goal-kicking impact option.
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); Charlie Ward (Tullow RFC/Clontarf FC/Leinster), Tom Stewart (Belfast Royal Academy/Ballynahinch RFC/Ulster), Thomas Clarkson (Blackrock College/Dublin University FC/Leinster), Brian Deeny (Wexford Wanderers/Clontarf FC/Leinster), Thomas Ahern (Waterpark RFC/Shannon RFC/Munster), Sean O’Brien (Blackrock College/UCD RFC/Leinster), Mark Hernan (St. Michael’s College/Lansdowne FC/Leinster), David McCann (RBAI/Banbridge RFC/Ulster) (capt).
Replacements: John McKee (Campbell College/Old Belvedere RFC/Leinster), Ciaran Ryan (Rockwell College/Cashel RFC/Munster), Ryan McMahon (Clongowes Wood College/Old Belvedere RFC/Leinster), Joe McCarthy (Blackrock College/Dublin University FC/Leinster), Alexis Soroka (Belvedere College/Dublin University FC/Leinster), Ben Murphy (Presentation College Bray/Clontarf FC/Leinster), Tim Corkery (Kilkenny RFC/Lansdowne FC/Leinster), Luis Faria (Newpark Comprehensive School/Dublin University FC/Leinster).
SCOTLAND U-20: Ollie Smith (Ayrshire Bulls); Jacob Henry (Southern Knights), Matthew Currie (Watsonians Rugby), Robbie McCallum (Boroughmuir Bears), Jack Blain (Heriot’s Rugby); Nathan Chamberlain (Hartpury College/Bristol Bears), Roan Frostwick (Watsonians Rugby); Alex Maxwell (Stourbridge), Ewan Ashman (Sale Sharks), Dan Gamble (Heriot’s Rugby), Kieran Watt (Watsonians Rugby), Cameron Henderson (Stirling County), Jack Hill (Durham University), Connor Boyle (Watsonians Rugby), Rory Darge (Southern Knights) (capt).
Replacements: Rory Jackson (Watsonians Rugby), Mak Wilson (Southern Knights), Thomas Lambert (Sydney University), Jamie Campbell (Biggar), Gregor Brown (Boroughmuir Bears), Kyle McGhie (Boroughmuir Bears), Cameron Scott (Boroughmuir Bears), Rufus McLean (Boroughmuir Bears).
Referee: Gianluca Gnecchi (Italy)
Assistant Referees: Manuel Bottino, Matteo Liperini (both Italy)
Television Match Official: Stefano Pennè (Italy)
Match Odds (Paddy Power): Ireland U-20s to win: 1/10; Draw: 30/1; Scotland U-20s to win: 6/1
Pre-Match Quotes – Noel McNamara (Ireland U-20s): “The players have prepared very well since we first came together before Christmas. We had an excellent camp last week in Cork and are looking forward to the challenge that Scotland will bring this Friday night.
“While there are things we will look replicate, the reality is you can’t copy and paste either. Just because something worked for last year’s group it doesn’t necessarily mean it is automatically going to work for this year’s group.
“It is very much a case of a new year and there are a couple of guys back who will be looking to drive on standards. There are quite a few guys who were in school this time last year and are really keen to make a mark. That’s the really exciting thing about this age-group for me. There is no ceiling.”
Sean Lineen (Scotland U-20s): “It’s been a pretty tough selection, there’s a lot of guys who were here last year and they obviously have a point to prove. The team has come together really well, they’re pretty tight and working really hard on different parts of their game.
“We know we will need to get our performance right against a pretty physical and clever Irish outfit who won this fixture last year away from home, so we know what type of cauldron we’re going into.
“We’ve prepared really well this week. I’ve been very impressed with their attitude and we’re going over there to give a really good performance.”
Pre-Match Links –
‘It’s Something You Desire To Be’ – Ireland Under-20 Captain McCann
Ahern Ready To Lead From The Front In Green
McNamara Excited To Watch Ireland Under-20s ‘Grow And Evolve’ After Tough Selection
Deeny Ready To Step Up Again For Ireland Under-20s
2020 Under-20 Six Nations Championship Fixtures
Recent Meetings –
2017: Under-20 Six Nations: Scotland U-20s 19 Ireland U-20s 20, Broadwood Stadium, Cumbernauld; World Rugby Under-20 Championship Pool B: Ireland U-20s 28 Scotland U-20s 32, Kutaisi Stadium, Kutaisi
2018: Under-20 Six Nations: Ireland U-20s 30 Scotland U-20s 25, Donnybrook; World Rugby U-20 Championship – 9th-12th Place Play-Off: Ireland U-20s 29 Scotland U-20s 45, Stade Aimé-Giral, Perpignan
2019: Under-20 Six Nations: Scotland U-20s 5 Ireland U-20s 24, Netherdale, Galashiels
Support the Ireland U-20s on www.facebook.com/irishrugby or search #FutureIsGreen, #IREvSCO and #ShouldertoShoulder on www.twitter.com/irishrugby.
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