The Ireland Under-20s finish out their U-20 Six Nations campaign against England in Coventry, eager to put in their most polished performance to date and build further momentum heading into the summer’s World Rugby U-20 Championship.
2018 UNDER-20 SIX NATIONS CHAMPIONSHIP: Friday, March 16
ENGLAND UNDER-20s (2nd) v IRELAND UNDER-20s (3rd), Ricoh Arena, Coventry, 8pm (live Sky Sports Action)
Team News: Head coach Noel McNamara has named the Ireland Under-20 team, sponsored by PwC, to play England in their final match of the Under-20 Six Nations Championship at the Ricoh Arena in Coventry tonight.
There are four personnel changes and one positional switch to the side that started last Friday’s 30-25 bonus point win over Scotland, who have been the only team to defeat England so far in the tournament.
It promises to be an exciting and drama-filled final Friday night in the U-20 Six Nations, as leaders France, who travel to Wales, and England are currently tied on 15 points at the top of the table. Behind them, third-placed Ireland (12 points) still have an outside chance of winning the title.
The Irish front row contains three of the changes with Wanderers’ Eoghan Clarke replacing the injured Ronan Kelleher at hooker, while Jordan Duggan and Jack Aungier also step up from the bench, swapping with James French and Tom O’Toole.
Letterkenny native Joe Dunleavy keeps his place at blindside flanker after making his U-20 debut against Scotland. The back row is completed by Matthew Agnew and talismanic number 8 Jack O’Sullivan, who has scored four tries and claimed two man-of-the-match awards in the last two rounds.
Matthew Dalton, a try scorer against the Scots like Agnew and O’Sullivan, continues in the second row alongside Dublin University’s Jack Dunne, while recent new cap James Hume – another of the sizable Ulster contingent – returns to the back-line, this time lining out on the right wing with Angus Kernohan switching to the left and Michael Silvester anchoring the back-three once more.
The remainder of the back-line is unchanged with captain Tommy O’Brien winning his tenth Ireland U-20 cap at outside centre. He is partnered again by Ulster Academy member Angus Curtis, while the all-Leinster half-back pairing of Harry Byrne and Hugh O’Sullivan gets its third outing of the Championship.
O’Sullivan’s Clontarf club-mate, Mullingar man Sean O’Brien, is standing by to make his U-20 international bow as an outside back replacement. He would be Ireland’s 22nd debutant of the 2018 U-20 Six Nations campaign.
After confirming his final matchday squad of the tournament, McNamara said: “It was good to come away with the bonus point win last Friday in Donnybrook, and while there are areas of our game we can improve on, the result has left us in a good place ahead of Friday’s fixture.
“England are always a stiff challenge at this level and it’s set to be a great opportunity for the players, but one I know they are excited for.”
The Ireland Under-20s’ final round showdown with England will be broadcast live on Sky Sports Action, with coverage beginning at 7.45pm. Click here to buy match tickets for tonight’s double header in Coventry involving the England and Ireland Women’s and U-20 sides.
Meanwhile, England U-20 head coach Steve Bates has made two changes to their starting XV with Worcester’s James Scott replacing Sam Lewis in the second row, while Ben Loader from London Irish comes into the side on the left wing.
Loader’s inclusion means Jordan Olowofela moves to full-back, James Grayson switches to out-half while Tom Hardwick – the third Leicester clubman in the back-line – is named at inside centre.
Saracens’ Ben Earl will captain the hosts from openside flanker in an unchanged back row, and the front row is also the same as the one from last weekend’s 22-6 win over table toppers France in Beziers. Hooker Henry Walker started last season’s 14-10 victory over Ireland in Donnybrook which secured the Grand Slam.
Under-20 Six Nations Results/Fixtures
ENGLAND U-20: Jordan Olowofela (Leicester Tigers); Gabriel Ibitoye (Harlequins), Fraser Dingwall (Northampton Saints), Tom Hardwick (Leicester Tigers), Ben Loader (London Irish); James Grayson (Northampton Saints), Ben White (Leicester Tigers); Toby Trinder (Northampton Saints), Henry Walker (Gloucester), Marcus Street (Exeter Chiefs), Dino Lamb (Harlequins), James Scott (Worcester Warriors), Josh Basham (London Irish), Ben Earl (Saracens) (capt), Sam Moore (Sale Sharks).
Replacements: Gabriel Oghre (Wasps), Alex Seville (Gloucester), Joe Heyes (Leicester Tigers), Sam Lewis (Leicester Tigers), Ted Hill (Worcester Warriors), Rory Brand (London Irish), Will Butler (Worcester Warriors), Tom Seabrook (Gloucester).
IRELAND U-20: Michael Silvester (Dublin University/Leinster); James Hume (Banbridge/Ulster), Tommy O’Brien (UCD/Leinster) (capt), Angus Curtis (Queen’s University/Ulster), Angus Kernohan (Ballymena/Ulster); Harry Byrne (UCD/Leinster), Hugh O’Sullivan (Clontarf/Leinster); Jordan Duggan (Naas/Leinster), Eoghan Clarke (Wanderers/Leinster), Jack Aungier (St. Mary’s College/Leinster), Matthew Dalton (Malone/Ulster), Jack Dunne (Dublin University/Leinster), Joe Dunleavy (Malone/Ulster), Matthew Agnew (Ballymena/Ulster), Jack O’Sullivan (UCC/Munster).
Replacements: Diarmuid Barron (Garryowen/Munster), James French (UCC/Munster), Tom O’Toole (Banbridge/Ulster), Ronan Coffey (Shannon/Munster), Sean Masterson (Corinthians/Connacht), Jonny Stewart (Queen’s University/Ulster), Conor Dean (St. Mary’s College/Leinster), Sean O’Brien (Clontarf/Leinster).
Referee: Pierre Brousset (France)
Assistant Referees: Jonathan Dufort, Luc Ramos (both France)
Television Match Official: Philip Bonhoure (France)
Match Odds (Paddy Power): England U-20s to win: 1/33; Draw: 55/1; Ireland U-20s to win: 14/1
Pre-Match Quotes – Tommy O’Brien (Ireland U-20s): “It’s obviously a different challenge this year, compared to last year. Last year, there were a lot of senior players and I was almost looking around going, ‘Jeez, I’m happy to be here almost and make the most of it’. Whereas this year, it’s more of a senior player role.
“I would have talked to (assistant coach) Paul (O’Connell) and those kind of guys about what a leader should be. They were warning me against doing everyone’s job. I guess I might be sometimes guilty of trying to do that. I feel like I’m learning that and I am getting trust in the guys around me to let them to do their jobs and let me focus on doing mine.
“I might be a little of a controller, a bit of a perfectionist. But the guys are really coming along very well. In training they are really nailing it so I don’t see any reason why it’s not going to carry over into the games.
“Paul was always just saying that there are times when you speak and people will listen, but no one wants to hear constant white noise and he’s a believer that the best way to lead is by example. I’d be a firm believer of that.
“Noel (McNamara) always says, ‘words are greater than thoughts, actions are greater than words’. It’s that hierarchy and I always try and lead with actions. That’s something Paul would always echo as well. It’s a brilliant feeling winning but I just really hate losing. That’s more the thing, that aspect would almost drive me a little bit more. Obviously, winning is a brilliant feeling but it’s just that terrible feeling of losing.
“I think as a back-line we haven’t really fired too many shots. We fired one or two against Italy where we got a few first-phase tries but, as a whole, it’s a really exciting back-line and we haven’t really got to show it. Personally, and as a unit, we’re looking to up that this week (against England).”
Steve Bates (England U-20s): “We had a very good performance in France in many areas but we know we can improve and we’ll be looking to do that on Friday against Ireland. We came into this tournament with a very clear objective to improve every game with the aim that we could win the Six Nations and we’ve now got to that point.
“However, we’re just focused now on Ireland and putting in a really strong performance that allows us to win the game, and we’ll see where that leaves us at the end of the tournament.
“It’s great that ourselves and the Red Roses have both got a chance of winning the tournament heading into that final fixture, and I would urge people to come along and watch each game. It should be a really exciting fixture at a Premiership stadium and we’re hoping for a big crowd which will in turn inspire the players of both teams.”
Recent Meetings –
2015: U-20 RBS 6 Nations: Ireland U-20s 14 England U-20s 19, Donnybrook
2016: U-20 RBS 6 Nations: England U-20s 20 Ireland U-20s 26, Kingston Park, Newcastle; World Rugby U-20 Championship Final: England U-20s 45 Ireland U-20s 21, AJ Bell Stadium, Salford
2017: U-20 Six Nations: Ireland U-20s 10 England U-20s 14, Donnybrook
Support the Ireland U-20s on www.irishrugby.ie/facebook or search #FutureIsGreen, #ENGvIRE and #ShouldertoShoulder on www.twitter.com/irishrugby.
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