Nine Changes To Ireland Under-20 Team
The Ireland Under-20 team, sponsored by PwC, to play England in the IRB Junior World Championship play-offs has been named.
Six Nations rivals Ireland and England met previously in the pool stages in South Africa, with the English staging a second half comeback to take a 20-15 win.
For this weekend’s rematch, the Irish management have made a total of nine changes in personnel and two positional switches.
A number of players have been brought back into the starting line-up having been on the bench or out of the squad for last Tuesday’s 41-12 defeat of Italy.
Peter Nelson, who scored two tries against the Italians, reverts to the full-back position, while Barry Daly joins Foster Horan to complete the back-three.
Stuart Olding will make his first start of the tournament, joining Chris Farrell in the centre, and leading scorer JJ Hanrahan and Kieran Marmion return to the team at out-half and scrum half respectively.
Captain Niall Scannell and Tadhg Furlong resume up front, joining Des Merrey in the same front row that started against South Africa and England in the pool stages.
Tadhg Beirne has been named alongside Alan O’Connor in the second row with regular lock Iain Henderson moved to blindside flanker where he takes over from Aaron Conneely.
Jordan Coghlan and number 8 Jack Conan, who captained Ireland against Italy, complete the back row trio. There is still one place to be filled among the replacements.
IRELAND UNDER-20 Team & Replacements (v England Under-20s, IRB Junior World Championship 5th-8th Place Play-Off, University of Western Cape Stadium, Cape Town, Sunday, June 17, 5pm local time/4pm Irish time):
15. Peter Nelson (Dungannon/Ulster)
14. Barry Daly (UCD/Leinster)
13. Stuart Olding (Belfast Harlequins/Ulster)
12. Chris Farrell (Dungannon/Ulster)
11. Foster Horan (Lansdowne/Leinster)
10. JJ Hanrahan (UL Bohemians/Munster)
9. Kieran Marmion (Corinthians/Connacht)
1. Des Merrey (Clontarf/Leinster)
2. Niall Scannell (Dolphin/Munster) (capt)
3. Tadhg Furlong (Clontarf/Leinster)
4. Alan O’Connor (UCD/Leinster)
5. Tadhg Beirne (Lansdowne/Leinster)
6. Iain Henderson (Queen’s University/Ulster)
7. Jordan Coghlan (UCD/Leinster)
8. Jack Conan (Old Belvedere/Leinster)
Replacements:
16. James Rael (Garryowen/Munster)
17. Peter Reilly (Lansdowne/Leinster)
18. Jake Cawley (Old Belvedere/Leinster)
19. AN Other
20. Aaron Conneely (Corinthians/Connacht)
21. Luke McGrath (UCD/Leinster)
22. Jack Carty (Buccaneers/Connacht)
23. Mike Sherlock (Clontarf/Leinster)
2012 IRB JUNIOR WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP –
POOL B RESULTS:
Monday, June 4: England 64 Italy 5, University of Western Cape Stadium, Cape Town
Monday, June 4: South Africa 19 Ireland 23, Danie Craven Stadium, Stellenbosch
Friday, June 8: South Africa 52 Italy 3, University of Western Cape Stadium, Cape Town
Friday, June 8: England 20 Ireland 15, Danie Craven Stadium, Stellenbosch
Tuesday, June 12: Ireland 41 Italy 12, Cape Town Stadium, Cape Town
Tuesday, June 12: South Africa 28 England 15, Cape Town Stadium, Cape Town
PLAY-OFF FIXTURES:
5TH-8TH PLACE PLAY-OFFS –
Sunday, June 17: France v Australia, Newlands Stadium, Cape Town, 2.45pm local time
Sunday, June 17: Ireland v England, University of Western Cape Stadium, Cape Town, 5pm local time/4pm Irish time
7TH-8TH PLACE PLAY-OFF –
Friday, June 22: Losers of France/Australia v Losers of Ireland/England, University of Western Cape Stadium, Cape Town, 4.30pm local time/3.30pm Irish time
5TH-6TH PLACE PLAY-OFF –
Friday, June 22: Winners of France/Australia v Winners of Ireland/England, Newlands Stadium, Cape Town, 2.15pm local time/1.15pm Irish time