James Ryan and his team-mates will be aiming to be at their clinical best when they tackle table-topping France tonight, seeking only the Ireland Under-20s’ second ever Six Nations victory on French soil.
2016 UNDER-20 RBS 6 NATIONS CHAMPIONSHIP: Friday, February 12
FRANCE UNDER-20s (1st) v IRELAND UNDER-20s (4th), Stade d’Honneur du Parc des Sports et de l’Amitié, Narbonne, 9.05pm local time/8.05pm Irish time (live RTÉ Two/www.rte.ie/live (island of Ireland only))
Team News: Ireland Under-20 head coach Nigel Carolan has made several changes to the side that lost to 35-24 to Wales at Donnybrook last Friday night.
In the backs, UCD’s Hugo Keenan, who started on the wing last week, moves to full-back in place of the injured Jack Power. Conor O’Brien (Clontarf), who won his first cap off the bench in the opening round, will start on the left wing and St. Mary’s College and Ireland Sevens player Terry Kennedy will look to win his first Under-20 cap as a replacement.
Up front, prop Conor Kenny from Buccaneers takes the place of Sligo’s Conan O’Donnell, who moves to the replacements. Cork Constitution’s Dan Walsh, who will win his first U-20 cap, comes straight into the back row for the injured Will Connors.
Speaking ahead of the squad’s departure for France, Carolan said: “We were disappointed with how things went against Wales. I thought that we played well overall but mistakes proved costly in the end. We’ve hopefully addressed the key areas and we’ll be looking for an improved performance on Friday night.
“Our training sessions this week have been very positive and the players are looking forward to the game in Narbonne. If we can maximise on our opportunities, I’d be confident of a result against the French.”
Meanwhile, the selected France Under-20 team shows five changes to the side that enjoyed a six-try 40-3 success at home to Italy in the opening round.
Les Bleuets, who are coached by Olivier Magne and Didier Faugeron, got off to a flying start in Nevers and will aim to build on that performance against Ireland. Into the back-line come winger Eliott Roudil and centre Alexandre Arrate, with Gabriel N’Gandebe moving to the right wing.
Front rowers Peato Mauvaka and Michaël Simutoga and flanker Judicaël Cancoriet have all been promoted from the bench to join a pack that is led by loosehead and captain Clément Castets, one of their try scorers against the Italians.
U-20 RBS 6 Nations Fixtures/Results
FRANCE U-20: Romain Buros (Section Paloise, Pôle Bayonne); Gabriel N’Gandebe (RC Massy Essonne), Damien Penaud (ASM Clermont Auvergne), Alexandre Arrate (Biarritz Olympique, Pôle Bayonne), Eliott Roudil (Stade Rochelais); Anthony Belleau (RC Toulon, Pôle Talence), Christoper Kaiser (RC Narbonne Méditerranée); Clément Castets (Montpellier HR, Pôle Béziers) (capt), Peato Mauvaka (Stade Toulousain), Michaël Simutoga (ASM Clermont Auvergne, Pôle Ussel), Florian Verhaegue (Stade Toulousain, Pôle Toulouse), Mathieu Tanguy (Stade Rochelais, Pôle Tours), Matthieu Voisin (Racing 92, Pôle Lakanal), Judicaël Cancoriet (ASM Clermont Auvergne, Pôle Lakanal), Anthony Jelonch (Castres Olympique).
Replacements: Elias El Ansari (RC Massy Essonne, Pôle Lakanal), Pierre Bourgarit (FC Auch G), Emerick Setiano (RC Toulon, Pôle Tours), Théo Hannoyer (Castres Olympique, Pôle Dijon), Jean Baptiste Grenod (RC Toulon, Pôle Hyères), Baptiste Couilloud (Lyon OU), Atila Septar (CA Brive, Pôle Ussel), Alexandre Pilati (Union Bordeaux-Bègles, Pôle Talence).
IRELAND U-20: Hugo Keenan (UCD/Leinster); Matthew Byrne (Terenure College/Leinster), Shane Daly (Cork Constitution/Munster), Jimmy O’Brien (UCD/Leinster), Conor O’Brien (Clontarf/Leinster); Johnny McPhillips (Queen’s University/Ulster), John Poland (Cork Constitution/Munster); Andrew Porter (UCD/Leinster), Adam McBurney (Ballymena/Ulster), Conor Kenny (Buccaneers/Connacht), Peter Claffey (Galwegians/Connacht), James Ryan (Lansdowne/Leinster) (capt), Cillian Gallagher (Sligo/Connacht), Dan Walsh (Cork Constitution/Munster), Max Deegan (Lansdowne/Leinster).
Replacements: Shane Fenton (Young Munster/Munster), James Bollard (Dublin University/Leinster), Conan O’Donnell (Sligo/Connacht), Sean O’Connor (Cashel/Munster), Kelvin Brown (Shannon/Munster), Stephen Kerins (Sligo/Connacht), Brett Connon (Newcastle Falcons/Exiles), Terry Kennedy (St. Mary’s College/Leinster).
Referee: Craig Maxwell-Keys (England)
Match Odds (Paddy Power): France U-20s to win: 3/10; Draw: 20/1; Ireland U-20s to win: 13/5
Pre-Match Quotes – Peter Malone (Ireland U-20s): “We played France twice in four days (at Under-19 level last season) and it’s probably a good experience because we beat them (13-10) in the first game.
“But probably a truer reflection of the French team came out the second day – they were beaten on their home turf and there were tears during the anthems. We met a passionate French team in full flow four days later. Our energy was a bit low but it was a good experience for the guys.
“It is a massive test. Under-20 rugby is very close to professional rugby. It is above AIL and B&I (Cup) and below PRO12 level.
“It is going to be a complete step up. We were in Marcoussis (for the Under-19 games) and there were about 200 people at the games. We will be in Narbonne on Friday night with probably the whole town out for it.”
Jimmy O’Brien (Ireland U-20s): “Looking back (at the Welsh game) it was horrible, you see the little mistakes. We could have won and you see the chances you had to win. A lot of us are very new to this level but we’ve realised that mistakes are so costly.
“France will have a big, physical pack, probably play around with their nine, the nine is usually their footballer and they’ll have pace out wide.
“Hopefully they throw in a bit of French flair, that would be good to play against. But we don’t see it as an impossible task, obviously we think we can win. We won there last year (at U-19 level).”
Pre-Match Links –
Ireland Under-20s Beaten By Wales In Thrilling Seven-Try Clash
In Pics: Ireland Under-20s 24 Wales Under-20s 35
Match Facts –
– The France Under-20s top the table after round 1 with their convincing 40-3 victory over Italy at Nevers
– France have lost just one of their last four encounters in the U-20 Six Nations, to England at Brighton in round 5 last year
– France have not lost at home in the U-20 Six Nations since Wales visited Clermont-Ferrand in 2013
– The Ireland Under-20s have lost their last four matches in the Six Nations since beating France in Athlone in round 2 last year (this represents their worst run in the tournament)
– Ireland have won just one away game in the competition since 2012: 47-15 in Italy in round 1 last year
– The two sides have met on 12 previous occasions in all competitions with France having the edge by seven wins to five, while in the Six Nations it is an even four wins apiece
– The only time that Ireland have beaten France U-20s in France was by a single point in 25 at Grenoble in 2012
– This is the first time that France have taken an Under-20 game to the city of Narbonne
Recent Meetings –
2013: U-20 RBS 6 Nations: Ireland U-20s 22 France U-20s 5, Dubarry Park; IRB Junior World Championship 5th-8th Place Play-Off: France U-20s 9 Ireland U-20s 8, Stade Henri Desgrange, La Roche-sur-Yon
2014: U-20 RBS 6 Nations: France U-20s 23 Ireland U-20s 13, Stade Maurice Trélut, Tarbes; IRB Junior World Championship Pool B: France U-20s 19 Ireland U-20s 13, QBE Stadium, Auckland
2015: U-20 RBS 6 Nations: Ireland U-20s 37 France U-20s 20, Dubarry Park
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