Ireland will attempt to complete a World Rugby Under-20 Championship double over England when the two sides meet at Club Old Resian. Noel McNamara’s young guns won 42-26 a fortnight ago on the way to finishing second in Pool B.
2019 WORLD RUGBY UNDER-20 CHAMPIONSHIP – 5TH-8TH PLACE PLAY-OFF: Monday, June 17
IRELAND UNDER-20s v ENGLAND UNDER-20s, Club Old Resian, Rosario, 3.30pm local time/7.30pm local time (live eir Sport 1/World Rugby website stream (in certain regions))
Team News: Leinster Academy back Aaron O’Sullivan is the latest debutant for the Ireland Under-20s at the World Rugby U-20 Championship, with head coach McNamara making eight personnel changes for today’s 5th-8th place play-off against England in Rosario.
There are also first starts for David Ryan, the younger brother of Leinster and Ireland star James Ryan, and Tullow native Charlie Ward, who gets his opportunity at tighthead prop. Michael Milne switches to loosehead with the ever-dynamic Dylan Tierney-Martin resuming at hooker.
With Ciaran Booth (knee) and David McCann (concussion) both suffering tournament-ending injuries, Ryan Baird moves to blindside flanker and St. Mary’s College clubman Ronan Watters makes a timely return at openside. Ulster’s Azur Allison continues at number 8, fresh from scoring his first Ireland U-20 try.
Captain Charlie Ryan has Thomas Ahern, a debutant the last day, alongside him in the second row, while vice-captain Craig Casey joins his Munster Academy colleague Ben Healy at half-back. David Ryan combines with Liam Turner in midfield, and there is a fresh look to the back-three with IQ Rugby product O’Sullivan linking up with Munster duo Jake Flannery and Jonathan Wren.
The squad’s latest injury-enforced call-up is Clontarf second row Brian Deeny, who is part of a bench which includes Luke Clohessy and Max O’Reilly who both won their first caps during the 38-14 bonus point win over Italy. A victory over the English side would set up a shot at a fifth place finish against either New Zealand or Wales.
Meanwhile, England U-20 boss Steve Bates has made two changes to the side that defeated Australia 56-33 to give them some momentum to take into the knockout phase of the competition. Worcester Warriors’ Kai Owen will line out at loosehead prop, with Alex Coles from Northampton added to the second row.
Exeter Chiefs’ Richard Capstick switches from lock to the back row, while Coles’ club-mate Fraser Dingwall captains the team from an unchanged back-line. Forwards Josh Basham (ankle) and Alfie Petch (concussion) are out for the rest of the tournament, and London Irish’s Ollie Hassell-Collins has been called up as an injury replacement for Arron Reed.
World Rugby U-20 Championship Results/Fixtures
World Rugby U-20 Championship Pools
IRELAND U-20: Jake Flannery (Shannon/Munster); Aaron O’Sullivan (UCD/Leinster), Liam Turner (Dublin University/Leinster), David Ryan (UCD/Leinster), Jonathan Wren (Cork Constitution/Munster); Ben Healy (Garryowen/Munster), Craig Casey (Shannon/Munster); Michael Milne (UCD/Leinster), Dylan Tierney-Martin (Corinthians/Connacht), Charlie Ward (Clontarf/Leinster), Charlie Ryan (UCD/Leinster) (capt), Thomas Ahern (Shannon/Munster), Ryan Baird (Dublin University/Leinster), Ronan Watters (St. Mary’s College/Leinster), Azur Allison (Ballymena/Ulster).
Replacements: Declan Adamson (Clontarf/Leinster), Thomas Clarkson (Dublin University/Leinster), Josh Wycherley (Young Munster/Munster), John McKee (Old Belvedere/Leinster), Brian Deeny (Clontarf/Leinster), Niall Murray (Buccaneers/Connacht), Luke Clohessy (Shannon/Munster), Colm Reilly (Buccaneers/Connacht), Rob Russell (Dublin University/Leinster), Cormac Foley (St. Mary’s College/Leinster), Angus Kernohan (Queen’s University/Ulster), Max O’Reilly (Dublin University/Leinster).
ENGLAND U-20: Tom de Glanville (Bath); Ollie Sleightholme (Northampton Saints), Fraser Dingwall (Northampton Saints) (capt), Cameron Redpath (Sale Sharks), Josh Hodge (Newcastle Falcons); Manu Vunipola (Saracens), Sam Maunder (Exeter Chiefs); Kai Owen (Worcester Warriors), Will Capon (Bristol Bears), Joe Heyes (Leicester Tigers), Joel Kpoku (Saracens), Alex Coles (Northampton Saints), Richard Capstick (Exeter Chiefs), Aaron Hinkley (Gloucester), Ted Hill (Worcester Warriors).
Replacements: Nic Dolly (Sale Sharks), Olly Adkins (Gloucester), James Kenny (Exeter Chiefs), Tom Willis (Wasps), Rusiate Tuima (Exeter Chiefs), Ollie Fox (Yorkshire Carnegie), Connor Doherty (Sale Sharks), Tom Seabrook (Gloucester), Luke James (Sale Sharks), Ollie Hassell-Collins (London Irish).
Referee: Ben Blain (Scotland)
Assistant Referees: Pali Deluca, Damian Schneider (both Argentina)
Television Match Official: Santiago Borsani (Argentina)
Match Odds (Paddy Power): Ireland U-20s to win: 6/4; Draw: 17/1; England U-20s to win: 4/7
Pre-Match Quotes – Noel McNamara (Ireland U-20s):
Since Wednesday’s win over Italy, we’ve decamped from our base for the pool stages in Santa Fe and made the move down to Rosario for the final two games of the competition. It’s our third encounter with England this season and we’ve a pretty good idea of what’s coming down the line.
“The players have been really focused on their rest and recovery since Wednesday with a view to being in the best possible condition ahead of this play-off clash.”
Steve Bates (England U-20s):
We felt it was important to give the majority of the side that played against Australia another go as it was by far our best performance of the tournament. The challenge for our squad now is to back up that performance with one that is better.
“We cannot approach it with any degree of complacency or lack of acknowledgment that it took a lot of hard work, commitment and team work to perform at that standard against Australia. We’ve got to keep moving forward as a team and continue to develop.
“This will be the third time we’ve played Ireland this season and in both games discipline has let us down, so we’ve got to the learn the lessons from those two fixtures.”
Pre-Match Links –
Superb Six-Try Salvo Sees Ireland Under-20s Over The Line In Santa Fe
14-Man Ireland Falter In Final Quarter Against Impressive Junior Wallabies
Ireland Under-20s Bounce Back With Bonus Point Win Over Italy
In Pics: Bonus Point Triumph Sends Ireland U-20s Into 5th-8th Place Play-Offs
Ireland U-20s Roll On To Rosario For ‘Exciting Challenge’ Against England
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
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