Five Changes For Ireland Under-20s
The Ireland Under-20 team, sponsored by PwC, to face tournament hosts France in Tuesday’s 5th-8th place play-off at the IRB Junior World Championship has been named.
Head coach Mike Ruddock has made five personnel changes to the side that lost out 31-26 to New Zealand in their final pool game of the tournament.
Rory Scholes takes up the full-back position while Ireland Under-20 debutant Alex Wootton makes his first start of the tournament, joining Darren Sweetnam on the wing. Darragh Leader and Adam Byrne are the players to make way.
Up front Bryan Byrne starts at hooker in place of George McGuigan, with Sean McCarthy coming in for Gavin Thornbury in the second row where he partners John Donnan.
Ryan Murphy returns at number 8 in a rejigged back row that sees Conor Joyce revert to blindside flanker, the position filled last time out by Daniel Leavy who is currently nursing a knock.
This is Ireland’s second encounter of the season with France. Ruddock’s charges beat them 22-5 at Dubarry Park in March, and the winners of Tuesday’s game will face either Argentina or Australia in the 5th-6th place play-off on Sunday.
IRELAND UNDER-20 Team & Replacements (v France Under-20s, 2013 IRB Junior World Championship 5th-8th Place Play-Off, Stade Henri Desgrange, La Roche-sur-Yon, Tuesday, June 18, kick-off 8.15pm local time/7.15pm Irish time):
15 – Rory Scholes (Belfast Harlequins/Ulster)
14 – Darren Sweetnam (UCC/Munster)
13 – Thomas Farrell (Lansdowne/Leinster)
12 – Rory Scannell (Dolphin/Munster)
11 – Alex Wootton (Northampton Saints/Exile)
10 – Steve Crosbie (Old Belvedere/Leinster)
9 – Luke McGrath (UCD/Leinster) (capt)
1 – Peter Dooley (Lansdowne/Leinster)
2 – Bryan Byrne (UCD/Leinster)
3 – Christopher Taylor (Malone/Ulster)
4 – Sean McCarthy (Shannon/Munster)
5 – John Donnan (Ballynahinch/Ulster)
6 – Conor Joyce (Malone/Ulster)
7 – Josh van der Flier (UCD/Leinster)
8 – Ryan Murphy (Dolphin/Munster)
Replacements:
16 – George McGuigan (Newcastle Falcons/Exile)
17 – Edward Byrne (UCD/Leinster)
18 – Adam Boland (Lansdowne/Connacht)
19 – Peadar Timmins (UCD/Leinster)
20 – Jack O’Donoghue (UL Bohemians/Munster)
21 – David Shanahan (Clontarf/Leinster)
22 – Mark Roche (Lansdowne/Connacht)
23 – David Panter (Corinthians/Connacht)
IRELAND UNDER-20S’ IRB JUNIOR WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP FIXTURES/RESULTS:
POOL B –
Wednesday, June 5: Ireland Under-20s 19 Australia Under-20s 15, Stade de la Rabine, Vannes
Sunday, June 9: Ireland Under-20s 46 Fiji Under-20s 3, Stade de la Rabine, Vannes
Thursday, June 13: New Zealand Under-20s 31 Ireland Under-20s 26, Stade de la Rabine, Vannes
PLAY-OFFS –
Tuesday, June 18 and Sunday, June 23
Related Links –
Video Highlights: Ireland 19 Australia 15
Video Highlights: Ireland 46 Fiji 3
Video Highlights: New Zealand 31 Ireland 26
2013 IRB Junior World Championship