Nigel Carolan’s young guns return to Six Nations action tonight, hoping to become the first Ireland Under-20 team to win on Welsh soil since 2009.
2015 UNDER-20 RBS 6 NATIONS CHAMPIONSHIP: Friday, March 13
WALES UNDER-20s (5th) v IRELAND UNDER-20s (3rd), Parc Eirias, Colwyn Bay, 7.45pm (live RTÉ Two/www.rte.ie/live (island of Ireland only)/BBC 2 Wales)
Team News: Ireland Under-20 head coach Nigel Carolan has made four personnel changes and a positional switch to the side that lost 19-14 to England in their last outing.
Ciaran Gaffney, a member of last summer’s Junior World Championship squad, returns from a hamstring injury. The Galwegians clubman joins Billy Dardis and Stephen Fitzgerald in the back-three.
In the pack, a new-look second row partnership sees Cian Romaine (pictured below) promoted from the bench to pair up with Josh Murphy who makes the move from the back row.
Openside flanker Conor Oliver will make his first appearance of the tournament alongside his St. Mary’s College club-mate Nick Timoney, who is promoted from the bench to fill the blindside berth.
The rejigged replacements include Andrew Porter and Jacob Stockdale, who both played for the Ireland Under-18 Schools team last season, and two other potential Under-20 debutants in Stephen McVeigh and Connor Young.
Match tickets are £15 (stand), £10 (terrace) and £5 for Under-16s terrace tickets and are available now from Venue Cymru, Llandudno – www.venuecymru.co.uk / to personal callers or by calling 00441492872000 and from Colwyn Leisure Centre to personal callers or by calling 00441492577900.
Meanwhile, the Wales Under-20 coaching team have made four changes and one positional switch to the side to face Ireland in Colwyn Bay.
Ospreys full-back Joe Gage gets his first start, while Cardiff Blues winger Elis Wyn-Benham wins his first cap at Under-20 level.
Up front, Scarlets hooker Ryan Elias and Ospreys back rower Jon Fox also earn places in the starting line-up for the first time, Fox starting at number 8 and Harrison Keddie moving to the blindside flanker role.
U-20 RBS 6 Nations Fixtures/Results
WALES U-20: Joe Gage (Ospreys); Joshua Adams (Scarlets), Owen Watkin (Ospreys), Garyn Smith (Cardiff Blues), Elis Wyn-Benham (Cardiff Blues); Jarrod Evans (Cardiff Blues), Tom Williams (Cardiff Blues); Luke Garrett (Newport Gwent Dragons), Ryan Elias (Scarlets), Dillon Lewis (Cardiff Blues), Joe Davies (Newport Gwent Dragons), Rory Thornton (Ospreys) (capt), Harrison Keddie (Newport Gwent Dragons), Ollie Griffiths (Newport Gwent Dragons), Jon Fox (Ospreys).
Replacements: Liam Belcher (Cardiff Blues), Keagan Bale (Newport Gwent Dragons), Alex Jeffries (Newport Gwent Dragons), Adam Beard (Ospreys), Jordan Viggers (Cardiff Blues), Kieran Hardy (Scarlets), Daniel Jones (Scarlets), Barney Nightingale (Newport Gwent Dragons).
IRELAND U-20: Billy Dardis (UCD/Leinster); Ciaran Gaffney (Galwegians/Connacht), Garry Ringrose (UCD/Leinster), Sam Arnold (Ballynahinch/Ulster), Stephen Fitzgerald (Shannon/Munster); Ross Byrne (UCD/Leinster), Nick McCarthy (UCD/Leinster) (capt); Jeremy Loughman (UCD/Leinster), Zack McCall (Queen’s University Belfast/Ulster), Oisin Heffernan (Terenure College/Leinster), Cian Romaine (Buccaneers/Connacht), Josh Murphy (UCD/Leinster), Nick Timoney (St. Mary’s College/Leinster), Conor Oliver (St. Mary’s College/Leinster), Lorcan Dow (Queen’s University Belfast/Ulster).
Replacements: Adam McBurney (Ballymena/Ulster), Andrew Porter (UCD/Leinster), Conan O’Donnell (Sligo/NUIG/Connacht), David O’Connor (St. Mary’s College/Leinster), Stephen McVeigh (Buccaneers/Connacht), Connor Young (Queen’s University Belfast/Ulster), Joey Carbery (UCD/Leinster), Jacob Stockdale (Queen’s University Belfast/Ulster).
Referee: Elia Rizzo (Italy)
Assistant Referees: Matteo Liperini, Emanuele Tomo (both Italy)
Television Match Official: Stefano Penne (Italy)
Match Odds (Paddy Power): Wales U-20s to win: 4/5; Draw: 18/1; Ireland U-20s to win: Evens
Pre-Match Quotes – Nigel Carolan (Ireland U-20s): “It was disappointing to lose to England in the last round, but we have put that behind us now in preparation for Wales.
“We have addressed the key areas that were highlighted against England and hopefully we can take our chances when they come along. The Championship is still there for the taking and we look forward to getting our campaign back on track this Friday.”
Chris Horsman (Wales U-20s): “Looking at the group, we have made a few tweaks. Up front, Ryan Elias comes in who has played some regional rugby recently and although it is no reflection on the other hookers, it will be good to add his experience to the side.
“Jon Fox showed up well when he came off the bench against France, he’s a good ball carrier and we have good strength in depth with Jordan Viggers on the bench.
“Looking at the three games so far, we had the excellent performance and result against England but things weren’t quite right against Scotland and France so we are focused now on improving execution in certain areas and hopefully the result will follow. Ireland area a good side and both teams look to play rugby so it should be an entertaining encounter.”
Pre-Match Links –
Ireland Under-20s Edged Out By Powerful England Side
In Pics & Video Reaction: Ireland U-20s 14 England U-20s 19
Match Facts –
– The Wales Under-20s have slipped to back-to-back defeats and have only once before lost three in-a-row in the Six Nations – in 2009
– The Wales U-20s have won three of their last four matches at Parc Eirias in Colwyn Bay
The Ireland U-20s’ winning start to this season’s Six Nations campaign ended at the hands of England at Donnybrook in the last round
– The Ireland U-20s beat Wales 35-21 in Pukekohe during last summer’s Junior World Championship in New Zealand and have never before won successive matches against their Welsh counterparts
– The Ireland U-20s have not won on Welsh soil since a trip to Llanelli in 2009
– Ireland out-half Ross Byrne (38 points) is the joint-top points scorer with Scotland’s George Horne so far in the tournament, while full-back Billy Dardis and winger Stephen Fitzgerald have both scored two tries in the opening three rounds
Recent Meetings –
2013: U-20 RBS 6 Nations: Wales U-20s 17 Ireland U-20s 15, Parc Eirias, Colwyn Bay
2014: U-20 RBS 6 Nations: Ireland U-20s 0 Wales U-20s 16, Dubarry Park; IRB Junior World Championship Pool B: Wales U-20s 21 Ireland U-20s 35, ECOLight Stadium, Pukekohe
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