Ruddock Makes Three Changes To Ireland U-20 Team
Head coach Mike Ruddock has made three personnel changes and one position switch to the PwC-sponsored Ireland Under-20 team to face France in Tarbes on Friday night (kick-off 8.55pm local time/7.55pm Irish time).
Cian Kelleher switches from the right wing to full-back with David Busby listed among the replacements and Alex Wootton donning the number 14 jersey.
The UCD half-back combination of Nick McCarthy and Ross Byrne are replaced by Jack Cullen from Bruff and Lansdowne’s Conor McKeon.
Sean O’Brien continues in the role of captain and is again partnered by Ross Molony in the second row.
A final round win for the Ireland Under-20s, who moved up to third in the table after beating Italy 18-0, will secure a top half finish and deny the French the Grand Slam.
Mike Ruddock commented: “The result against Italy got us back on track and this weekend we face a strong French outfit that are going for the Grand Slam.
“We have brought in a couple of new faces and there is an opportunity for these players to show what they can deliver against quality opposition.”
There will be live TV coverage of the game on RTÉ Two and www.rte.ie/live (island of Ireland only) on Friday night. Match ticket information is available here.
IRELAND UNDER-20 Team & Replacements (v France Under-20s, 2014 RBS Under-20 6 Nations Championship, Stade Maurice Trélut, Tarbes, Friday, March 14, kick-off 8.55pm local time/7.55pm Irish time):
15. Cian Kelleher (Lansdowne/Leinster)
14. Alex Wootton (Garryowen/Munster)
13. Dan Goggin (Young Munster/Munster)
12. Peter Robb (Old Belvedere/Leinster)
11. Adam Byrne (UCD/Leinster)
10. Conor McKeon (Lansdowne/Leinster)
9. Jack Cullen (Bruff/Munster)
1. Peter Dooley (Lansdowne/Leinster)
2. Max Abbott (Cork Constitution/Munster)
3. Rory Burke (Cork Constitution/Munster)
4. Sean O’Brien (Galwegians/Connacht) (capt)
5. Ross Molony (UCD/Leinster)
6. Peadar Timmins (UCD/Leinster)
7. Rory Moloney (Buccaneers/Connacht)
8. Jack O’Donoghue (UL Bohemians/Munster)
Replacements:
16. Sean McNulty (UCD/Munster)
17. Denis Coulson (Lansdowne/Leinster)
18. Oisin Heffernan (Lansdowne/Leinster)
19. Stephen Gardiner (Lansdowne/Leinster)
20. Frankie Taggart (Belfast Harlequins/Ulster)
21. Nick McCarthy (UCD/Leinster)
22. Ross Byrne (UCD/Leinster)
23. David Busby (Queen’s University/Ulster)
IRELAND’S RBS UNDER-20 6 NATIONS MATCHES:
IRELAND Under-20s 34 Scotland Under-20s 7
Dubarry Park
Friday, January 31
IRELAND Under-20s 16 Wales Under-20s 0
Dubarry Park
Friday, February 7
England Under-20s 33 IRELAND Under-20s 9
Franklin’s Gardens, Northampton
Saturday, February 22
IRELAND Under-20s 18 Italy Under-20s 0
Dubarry Park
Friday, March 7
France Under-20s v IRELAND Under-20s
Stade Maurice Trélut, Tarbes, 8.55pm local time/7.55pm Irish time
Friday, March 14