Junior World Championship Preview: England Under-20s v Ireland Under-20s

ENGLAND U-20s v IRELAND U-20s, Danie Craven Stadium, 6.45pm local time/5.45pm Irish time (live TG4/Sky Sports 2)

Team News: The Ireland Under-20 team, sponsored by PwC, to play England in their second pool game of the IRB Junior World Championship in South Africa has been named.

The Irish management, led by head coach Mike Ruddock, has retained the same starting side that secured an historic 23-19 victory in their first game of the tournament on Monday.

Shane Buckley and Stuart Olding have been added to the replacements bench, with the Ireland U-20s looking to gain revenge on England for a 20-9 defeat in the final round of the Six Nations.

Commenting on Friday’s encounter, Ruddock said: “England are the current Six Nations champions and we will have to reproduce the intensity we showed against South Africa if we are to get a result in this game.

“We have done our homework and we are now looking forward to the game.”

Meanwhile, the selected England Under-20 team shows ten changes to the side that beat Italy 64-5 in their Pool B opener.

Gloucester centre Ryan Mills captains the side for the first time in his 13th outing at the Under-20 grade and there are first starts for Saracens scrum half Ben Spencer and Northampton Saints flanker Ben Nutley.

Positional changes see Bath’s Tom Heathcote move to out-half from inside centre and Harlequins’ Charlie Walker makes the switch from full back to left wing.

England lead the way in the pool after their nine-try opening win, but face a confident Irish side also looking for their second victory after beating hosts South Africa 23-19 on Monday.

ENGLAND U-20: Tommy Bell (London Wasps); Marland Yarde (London Irish), Will Addison (Sale Sharks), Ryan Mills (Gloucester) (capt), Charlie Walker (Harlequins); Tom Heathcote (Bath), Ben Spencer (Saracens); Alec Hepburn (London Wasps), Koree Britton (Gloucester), Kyle Sinckler (Harlequins), Dominic Barrow (Leeds Carnegie), George Merrick (Harlequins), David Sisi (London Irish), Ben Nutley (Northampton Saints), Jack Clifford (Harlequins).

Replacements: Max Crumpton (Saracens), Luke Cowan-Dickie (Exeter Chiefs), Ross Harrison (Sale Sharks), Sam Twomey (Harlequins), Chris Walker (Leeds Carnegie), Dan Robson (Gloucester), Sam Hill (Exeter Chiefs), Ben Ransom (Saracens).

IRELAND U-20: Peter Nelson (Dungannon/Ulster); Barry Daly (UCD/Leinster), Foster Horan (Lansdowne/Leinster), Chris Farrell (Dungannon/Ulster), Sam Coghlan Murray (UCD/Leinster); JJ Hanrahan (UL Bohemians/Munster), Kieran Marmion (Corinthians/Connacht); Des Merrey (Clontarf/Leinster), Niall Scannell (Dolphin/Munster) (capt), Tadhg Furlong (Clontarf/Leinster), Tadhg Beirne (Lansdowne/Leinster), Iain Henderson (Queen’s University/Ulster), Jordan Coghlan (UCD/Leinster), Conor Gilsenan (UCD/Mullingar/Leinster), Jack Conan (Old Belvedere/Leinster).

Replacements: James Rael (Garryowen/Munster), Peter Reilly (Lansdowne/Leinster), Jake Cawley (Old Belvedere/Leinster), Alan O’Connor (UCD/Leinster), Shane Buckley (Garryowen/Munster), Luke McGrath (UCD/Leinster), Jack Carty (Buccaneers/Connacht), Stuart Olding (Belfast Harlequins/Ulster).

Referee: Lourens van der Merwe (South Africa)
Assistant Referees: Leighton Hodges (Wales), Quinton Immelman (South Africa)
Television Match Official: Glen Jackson (New Zealand)

Match Odds (Paddy Power): England U-20s to win: 1/7; Draw: 28/1; Ireland U-20s to win: 9/2

Pre-Match Quotes: Niall Scannell (Ireland U-20s) – “We let ourselves down in the Grand Slam decider over in England (in March) so we’ll have to rectify that.

“We know that the win over South Africa will count for nothing going into the England game, so we have to keep building. Every game starts from scratch so that’s what we’re going to do.

“We’re an ambitious team and we knew coming into this (South African game) that we were the underdogs and we’d have our work cut out.

“So we went in with a game-plan, a good mix in our game and against South Africa a low-tackle focus throughout the game which I think we executed perfectly.”

Nick Walshe (England U-20s) – “The Italy game was tough but we’ve had a few days to get ready and the boys are looking fresh.

“Ireland had a fantastic result against South Africa so full credit to them for that, but we weren’t surprised by it because we know what a good side they are and they can’t be underestimated.

“Ryan (Mills) brings with him a lot of experience, and a lot of talent. He played in last year’s competition and he’s a player the boys will follow and respond to on the field.”

Pre-Match Links –

Match Highlights: South Africa U-20s 19 Ireland U-20s 23

In Pics: South Africa U-20s 19 Ireland U-20s 23

Ruddock Pleased With Performance And Result

Ireland U-20s Stun Hosts South Africa

2012 IRB Junior World Championship

Recent Meetings –

2010: RBS U-20 6 Nations: England U-20s 10 Ireland U-20s 25, Kingsholm, Gloucester RFC; IRB Junior World Championship Pool B: England U-20s 36 Ireland U-20s 21, Estadio El Coloso del Parque, Rosario

2011: RBS U-20 6 Nations: Ireland U-20s 15 England U-20s 46, Dubarry Park; IRB Junior World Championship Pool C: England U-20s 33 Ireland U-20s 25, Stadio di Monigo, Treviso

2012: RBS U-20 6 Nations: England U-20s 20 Ireland U-20s 9, Adams Park

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