Newly-appointed captain Tommy O’Brien says the Ireland Under-20s ‘have a lot of positives to build on’ from their second half performance against France, as they return to the familiar surroundings of Donnybrook tonight for their first Six Nations home game.
2018 UNDER-20 SIX NATIONS CHAMPIONSHIP: Friday, February 9
IRELAND UNDER-20s (4th) v ITALY UNDER-20s (5th), Donnybrook, 7.15pm (live RTÉ Two/www.rte.ie/live (island of Ireland only))
Team News: Head coach Noel McNamara has named the Ireland Under-20 team, sponsored by PwC, to play Italy in their first home fixture of the Under-20 Six Nations at Donnybrook tonight.
There are four changes to the side that lost 34-24 to France in Bordeaux in last Friday’s U-20 Six Nations opener. Tickets for the match against Italy at Donnybrook are available from ticketmaster.ie.
A new back row combination sees Sean Masterson and debutant Matthew Agnew link up with UCC and Munster ‘A’ number 8 Jack O’Sullivan, who was one of Ireland’s best performers in France. Matthew Dalton is involved with Ulster’s GUINNESS PRO14 squad this week, while Aaron Hall is injured.
The all-Leinster tight five remains unchanged, with props Jordan Duggan and Jack Aungier starting either side of hooker Ronan Kelleher, who is set to win his 10th cap at this level, and Cormac Daly and Jack Dunne continuing together in the engine room.
In the backs, Jonny Stewart is on duty with Ulster so Clontarf’s Hugh O’Sullivan comes in for his first Ireland U-20 start at scrum half, having made his debut off the bench last week. He will partner out-half Harry Byrne, who kicked seven points against France.
The final change sees Ulster Academy member and Six Nations debutant Angus Curtis promoted from the replacements to line out alongside captain Tommy O’Brien in the centre, and Michael Silvester, Peter Sullivan and James McCarthy, who scored Ireland’s third try against the French, get a second outing together in the back-three.
There are some alterations to the bench line-up as Wanderers’ Eoghan Clarke, who captained CBC Monkstown last year, and fellow uncapped players Charlie Ryan, Ronan Foley and Patrick Patterson – all from UCD – make the matchday 23. Scrum half Patterson was a try scorer for the students in the Ulster Bank League last weekend.
Tickets are available for all three Ireland Under-20 home games from ticketmaster.ie. The Ireland U-20s’ three home clashes are again sponsored by Electric Ireland, and tonight’s tie will be broadcast live on RTE Two, with coverage beginning at 7pm.
Meanwhile, Italy U-20 coaches Fabio Roselli and Andrea Moretti have made three changes to the back-line from last weekend’s 27-17 defeat to England in Gorizia. Alberto Rossi, Damiano Mazza and Tommaso Coppo come in at full-back, inside centre and on the left wing respectively.
Michelangelo Biondelli moves to outside centre, while the Azzurrini will field an unchanged pack, including flanker and captain Michele Lamaro, after a strong showing from their forwards against the English.
They gave the defending champions a stern test, scoring tries towards the end of both halves with hooker Matteo Luccardi muscling over to close the gap to 8-7 at half-time, and their lineout maul forced a late penalty try.
The likes of out-half Antonio Rizzi, Giovanni D’Onofrio, Jacopo Bianchi and Edoardo Iachizzi return for their second season at this level. The Italian squad for Dublin includes 18 members of the national Academy and they will be looking to upset the odds again after handing Ireland a 22-21 defeat during the pool stages of last year’s World Rugby U-20 Championship in georgia.
Under-20 Six Nations Results/Fixtures
IRELAND U-20: Michael Silvester (Dublin University/Leinster); Peter Sullivan (Lansdowne/Leinster), Tommy O’Brien (UCD/Leinster) (capt), Angus Curtis (Queen’s University/Ulster), James McCarthy (UL Bohemians/Munster); Harry Byrne (UCD/Leinster), Hugh O’Sullivan (Clontarf/Leinster); Jordan Duggan (Naas/Leinster), Ronan Kelleher (Lansdowne/Leinster), Jack Aungier (St. Mary’s College/Leinster), Cormac Daly (Clontarf/Leinster), Jack Dunne (Dublin University/Leinster), Sean Masterson (Corinthians/Connacht), Matthew Agnew (Ballymena/Ulster), Jack O’Sullivan (UCC/Munster).
Replacements: Eoghan Clarke (Wanderers/Leinster), James French (UCC/Munster), Tom O’Toole (Banbridge/Ulster), Charlie Ryan (UCD/Leinster), Ronan Foley (UCD/Leinster), Patrick Patterson (UCD/Leinster), Conor Dean (St. Mary’s College/Leinster), Angus Kernohan (Ballymena/Ulster).
ITALY U-20: Alberto Rossi (Valsugana Padova); Simone Cornelli (Toscana Aeroporti I Medicei), Michelangelo Biondelli (Rugby Viadana 1970), Damiano Mazza (Accademia Nazionale Ivan Francescato), Tommaso Coppo (Petrarca Padova); Antonio Rizzi (Petrarca Padova), Niccolò Casilio (Patarò Calvisano); Danilo Fischetti (Patarò Calvisano), Matteo Luccardi (Patarò Calvisano), Michele Mancini Parri (Accademia Nazionale Ivan Francescato), Niccolò Cannone (Petrarca Padova), Matteo Canali (Rugby Colorno), Michele Lamaro (Petrarca Padova) (capt), Jacopo Bianchi (Fiamme Oro Rugby), Lodovico Manni (Mogliano Rugby).
Replacements: Niccolò Taddia (Accademia Nazionale Ivan Francescato), Leonardo Mariottini (Accademia Nazionale Ivan Francescato), Guido Romano (Rugby Colorno), Edoardo Iachizzi (USA Perpignan), Enrico Ghigo (Accademia Nazionale Ivan Francescato), Leonardo Bacchi (Rugby Viadana 1970), Filippo di Marco (Accademia Nazionale Ivan Francescato), Alessandro Fusco (Accademia Nazionale Ivan Francescato).
Referee: Dan Jones (Wales)
Assistant Referees: Aled Evans, Gareth John (both Wales)
Television Match Official: Neil Hennessy (Wales)
Match Odds (Paddy Power): Ireland U-20s to win: 1/7; Draw: 30/1; Italy U-20s to win: 9/2
Pre-Match Quotes – Noel McNamara (Ireland U-20s): “France was a learning experience for all involved, and the challenge now is to build on what went right for us in Bordeaux while also looking to address the areas that could have been better.
“We had a long trip home from France, but the players have looked after themselves and recovered well and they are eager to run out in front of a home crowd this Friday night.
“Italy pushed England all the way and really made them work hard for their win last weekend, and their underage sides are getting stronger and stronger each season, so it will be a challenge, but our players showed a lot of character in the second half against France, and we’ll be looking for them to build on that coming into this game.”
Harry Byrne (Ireland U-20s): “It’s definitely good because you’re still developing as a player so it’s important to have that free rein. But obviously, there is structure in what you’re trying to do, it’s not free-for-all. Within that, we are given freedom (by the coaches) to express ourselves and have a go.
“If we can benchmark our Six Nations on that second half performance against France, that’s what we’re looking for. We need to hit the ground running and get into Friday. They’ll be a physical side again but hopefully if we can get into our attack shape and move it around the park, we should go well against them.”
Recent Meetings –
2015: U-20 Six Nations: Italy U-20s 15 Ireland U-20s 47, Stadio Pozzi Lamarmora, Biella
2016: U-20 Six Nations: Ireland U-20s 19 Italy U-20s 13, Donnybrook
2017: U-20 Six Nations: Italy U-20s 26 Ireland U-20s 27, Stadio Enrico Chersoni, Prato; World Rugby Under-20 Championship – Pool B: Ireland U-20s 21 Italy U-20s 22, Kutaisi Stadium, Kutaisi, Georgia
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