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Emerging Ireland Team To Play Uruguay

Emerging Ireland Team To Play Uruguay

The Emerging Ireland team to take on Uruguay in their second match of the IRB Nations Cup in Bucharest on Wednesday has been named.

Head coach Dan McFarland has made ten changes in personnel and four positional switches to the side that overcame Russia 66-0 in their weather-hit opening game of the tournament last Friday.

Emerging Ireland had scored ten tries before referee Ian Davies called a halt to proceedings in the 45th minute due to a thunder storm.

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The 66-0 scoreline, which included an Andrew Conway hat-trick, became the final result in line with tournament rules as the storm lasted around 30 minutes. You can watch a full replay here:

For the Irish side’s second outing, a new-look front row of John Ryan, Bryan Byrne and Ricky Lutton will make their first starts of the tournament together, while Billy Holland comes in to partner Michael Kearney in the second row.
 
Tommy O’Donnell, one of only two senior-capped players in the starting line-up, moves from openside to blindside flanker with Sean Dougall coming in to wear the number 7 jersey. They are joined by number 8 Paddy Butler to complete an all-Munster back row.
 
A freshened-up centre pairing sees Leinster’s Brendan Macken make his first start of the tournament alongside Eoin Griffin. JJ Hanrahan and Luke McGrath, who played together at the IRB Junior World Championship in South Africa two years ago, are the starting half-backs.
 
Craig Gilroy shifts to the full-back position with Johne Murphy, who captains the side with Dominic Ryan on the bench, and Ulster’s Michael Allen lining out on the wings.

McFarland’s men are top of the table after their opening bonus point win. Uruguay lost their first game to hosts Romania, going down 34-16 with Romanian centre Florin Vlaicu kicking 19 points.
 
EMERGING IRELAND Team & Replacements (v Uruguay, 2014 IRB Nations Cup, Stadionul National Arcul de Triumf, Bucharest, Wednesday, June 18, kick-off 4pm local time/2pm Irish time):

15 – Craig Gilroy (Dungannon/Ulster)
14 – Johne Murphy (Young Munster/Munster) (capt) *
13 – Brendan Macken (Blackrock College/Leinster) *
12 – Eoin Griffin (Galwegians/Connacht) *
11 – Michael Allen (Belfast Harlequins/Ulster) *
10 – JJ Hanrahan (UL Bohemians/Munster) *
9 – Luke McGrath (UCD/Leinster) *
1 – John Ryan (Cork Constitution/Munster) *
2 – Bryan Byrne (Clontarf/Leinster) *
3 – Ricky Lutton (Belfast Harlequins/Ulster) *
4 – Michael Kearney (Clontarf/Connacht) *
5 – Billy Holland (Cork Constitution/Munster) *
6 – Tommy O’Donnell (UL Bohemians/Munster)
7 – Sean Dougall (Dolphin/Munster) *
8 – Paddy Butler (Shannon/Munster) *
 
Replacements:

16 – James Tracy (UCD/Leinster) *
17 – Callum Black (Malone/Ulster) *
18 – David Foley (UL Bohemians/Munster) *
19 – Dominic Ryan (Lansdowne/Leinster) *
20 – Paul Marshall (Ballymena/Ulster)
21 – Ian Keatley (Young Munster/Munster)
22 – Andrew Conway (Blackrock College/Munster) *

* Denotes uncapped player at senior international level

2014 IRB NATIONS CUP (Bucharest, Romania):

Friday, June 13 –

EMERGING IRELAND 66 Russia 0, Stadionul National Arcul de Triumf

Wednesday, June 18 –

EMERGING IRELAND v Uruguay, Stadionul National Arcul de Triumf, 4pm local time/2pm Irish time

Sunday, June 22 –

Romania v EMERGING IRELAND, Stadionul National Arcul de Triumf, 7pm local time/5pm Irish time