Ireland Team Named For World Rugby U20 Championship Semi-Final

Head Coach Richie Murphy has named his Ireland U20 Match Day Squad, sponsored by PwC, for Sunday’s World Rugby U20 Championship semi-final against South Africa in Cape Town (Kick-off 4.30pm local time/3.30pm Irish time).

Gus McCarthy returns to the starting XV to captain Ireland as Murphy’s side go head-to-head with the host nation in a last four showdown at Athlone Stadium (Live on Virgin Media Two in Republic of Ireland and on World Rugby platforms for viewers in the UK).

Henry McErlean, Andrew Osborne and James Nicholson make up the Ireland back three, with Hugh Gavin and John Devine named in midfield. In the half backs, Sam Prendergast and Fintan Gunne return to the side to resume their partnership.

Up front, Paddy McCarthy, skipper McCarthy and Ronan Foxe return to the pack, with Charlie Irvine partnering Conor O’Tighearnaigh in the engine room. In the back row, Diarmuid Mangan is at blindside flanker, Ruadhan Quinn at openside and Brian Gleeson wears the number eight jersey.

Murphy has a strong replacements bench to choose from with Danny Sheahan, Man of the Match in Tuesday’s win over Fiji, George Hadden, Fiachna Barrett, Evan O’Connell and Dan Barron providing the forward options, while Oscar Cawley, Matthew Lynch and Sam Berman complete the Ireland 23.

Sunday’s match is live on Virgin Media Two in Republic of Ireland and on World Rugby platforms where there is no local broadcaster.

Ireland U20s:

15. Henry McErlean (Terenure/Leinster)
14. Andrew Osborne (Naas/Leinster)
13. Hugh Gavin (Galwegians RFC/Connacht)
12. John Devine (Corinthians/Connacht)
11. James Nicholson (UCD/Leinster)
10. Sam Prendergast (Lansdowne/Leinster)
9. Fintan Gunne (Terenure College RFC/Leinster)

1. Paddy McCarthy (Dublin University FC/Leinster)
2. Gus McCarthy (UCD/Leinster)(captain)
3. Ronan Foxe (Old Belvedere/Leinster)
4. Charlie Irvine (Queen’s University/Ulster)
5. Conor O’Tighearnaigh (UCD RFC/Leinster)
6. Diarmuid Mangan (UCD/Leinster)
7. Ruadhan Quinn (Old Crescent RFC/Munster)
8. Brian Gleeson (Garryowen/Munster)

Replacements:

16. Danny Sheahan (UCC/Munster)
17. George Hadden (Clontarf/Leinster)
18. Fiachna Barrett (Corinthians/Connacht)
19. Evan O’Connell (UL Bohemians/Munster)
20. Dan Barron (Dublin University/Leinster)
21. Oscar Cawley (Naas/Leinster)
22. Matthew Lynch (Dublin University/Leinster)
23. Sam Berman (Dublin University/Leinster).