Kilkenny College hooker Stephen Smyth will captain the Ireland U19 squad, sponsored by PwC, as they take on their Japanese counterparts on Wednesday at Lakelands. Out-half Jack Murphy (Presentation College Bray) has been named as vice-captain.  Murphy is following in the footsteps of his older brother Ben who has represented Ireland at U20 and Emerging Ireland levels.  Both are the offspring of double U20 Six Nations Grand Slam winning coach Richie Murphy. Smyth, Murphy, Josh Stevens, Zac Solomon, Jacob Sheahan, Stephen Kiely, Sean Naughton and Jake O’Riordan all featured for the Ireland U18s in last year’s U18s Six Nations Festival. The Ireland U19s are led by head coach Mark Butler (Munster Rugby) and assistant coaches Andrew Browne (Connacht Rugby) and Johnny Graham (Ulster Rugby) In the first of two fixtures against Japan before the squad is rotated Ireland will play first on Wednesday 22^nd March and then again on Sunday 26^th with both fixtures taking place at the home of Terenure College RFC. The first game between the two sides kicks off at 2.30pm on Wednesday 22^nd March at Terenure RFC, Lakelands while the second fixture kicks off at 6.00pm on Sunday 26^th March at the same venue.

IRELAND U19 v Japan U19, Lakelands, Wednesday 22nd March, 2023, KO:2.30pm

15. David Colbert (Leinster/Dublin University FC) 14. Stephen Kiely (Munster/Old Crescent RFC) 13. Charlie Sheridan (Leinster/Naas RFC) 12. Tom Larke (Leinster/St. Columbas College/Old Wesley RFC) 11. Oisin Pepper (Munster/St. Munchin’s College) 10. Jack Murphy (Leinster/Presentation College Bray) vice captain 9.  Jake O’Riordan (Munster/St. Munchin’s College) 1. Ben Howard (Leinster/St Michael’s College) 2. Stephen Smyth (Leinster/Kilkenny College) captain 3. Adam Deay (Leinster/Lansdowne FC) 4. James O’Loughlin (Leinster/Naas RFC) 5. James McKillop (Ulster/Foyle College) 6. Mark Lee (Ulster/Rainey Old Boys RFC) 7. Josh Stevens (Ulster/Methodist College) 8. Richard Whelan (Leinster/Cistercian College Roscrea) Replacements 16. Zac Solomon (Ulster/Belfast Harlequins RFC) 17. Sean Hopkins (Connacht/St Muredach’s College/Ballina RFC) 18. Theo Bishop (IQ Rugby/Hartpury College) 19. Luke O’Connor (Leinster/Lansdowne FC) 20. Jacob Sheahan (Munster/UCC RFC) 21. Tadhg Brophy (Leinster/Newbridge College) 22. Sean Naughton (Leinster/Kilkenny College) 23. Ben McFarlane (Ulster/Methodist College) 24. Ethan Graham (Ulster/Ballynahinch RFC)