Under-20 Six Nations Preview: Scotland Under-20s v Ireland Under-20s

After claiming the scalp of a highly-rated England team in the opening round, the Ireland Under-20s take their U-20 Six Nations challenge on the road to Galashiels where they come up against a Scottish side smarting from a 32-22 defeat at the hands of Italy.

2019 UNDER-20 SIX NATIONS CHAMPIONSHIP: Friday, February 8

SCOTLAND UNDER-20s (5th) v IRELAND UNDER-20s (3rd), Netherdale, Galashiels, 7.30pm (live score updates on www.twitter.com/irishrugby)

Team News: Head coach Noel McNamara has announced the Ireland Under-20 team, sponsored by PwC, to face Scotland in the second round of the U-20 Six Nations at Netherdale in Galashiels. Please note that this game will not be televised – there will be score updates on the Irish Rugby Twitter page.

Ireland’s starting XV shows just one change to the side that defeated England 35-27 in Cork last week. Cormac Foley, the scorer of the match-winning try in Cork, is promoted from the bench to start at scrum half, replacing vice-captain Craig Casey who is ruled out through injury.

Up front, props Josh Wycherley and Thomas Clarkson continue alongside Corinthians hooker Dylan Tierney-Martin, who touched down twice and was man-of-the-match in the opening round. Vice-captain Charlie Ryan and Niall Murray resume their second row partnership.

Martin Moloney, the Leinster-capped Scott Penny and number 8 John Hodnett feature again in the back row, while Harry Byrne, the scorer of 15 points last Friday, is joined at half-back by Foley. The rest of the back-line is unchanged with captain David Hawkshaw and Liam Turner paired together at centre, and full-back Jake Flannery combining with wingers Conor Phillips and Jonathan Wren in the back-three.

Shannon prop Luke Masters and Buccaneers’ Colm Reilly, who provides back-up for Foley at scrum half, have been added to the replacements and both will be looking to win their first Ireland Under-20 caps at the home ground of Gala RFC.

Click here to buy your ticket(s) for Scotland Under-20s v Ireland Under-20s via the Scottish Rugby website. General admission is £10 for adults, £1 for Under-18s and £5 for students. Please note that adult and student tickets will increase by £5 at the turnstiles. U-18 tickets will increase to £5 on match day.

Meanwhile, Watsonians and Scottish Academy full-back Rufus McLean is one of three changes to the Scotland U-20 team, rewarded for his late try off the bench against Italy as he replaces Ollie Smith in the number 15 jersey.

Head coach Carl Hogg brings in Sale Sharks’ Ewan Ashman at hooker, with Finlay Scott sidelined through injury, while Charlie Jupp shifts to blindside flanker, allowing Stirling County lock Cameron Henderson to partner Ewan Johnson in the second row.

McLean joins Heriot’s wingers Rory McMichael and Jack Blain in the back-three, with the hosts’ back-line completed by Wasps prospect Cameron Anderson, his centre partner Robbie McCallum, and the 11-times capped Ross Thompson and Currie Chieftains’ Roan Frostwick at half-back.

The incoming Ashman packs down with Sam Grahamslaw and Murphy Walker in the front row, and South African-born number 8 Kwagga van Niekirk anchors a back row featuring flankers Connor Boyle, who is once again named as captain, and Jupp.

Click here to buy your ticket(s) for Scotland Under-20s v Ireland Under-20s via the Scottish Rugby website. General admission is £10 for adults, £1 for Under-18s and £5 for students. Please note that adult and student tickets will increase by £5 at the turnstiles. U-18 tickets will increase to £5 on match day.

Under-20 Six Nations Results/Fixtures

Under-20 Six Nations Table

SCOTLAND U-20: Rufus McLean (Watsonians); Rory McMichael (Heriot’s), Cameron Anderson (Wasps), Robbie McCallum (Complutense Cisneros), Jack Blain (Heriot’s); Ross Thompson (Glasgow Hawks), Roan Frostwick (Currie Chieftains); Sam Grahamslaw (Leicester Tigers), Ewan Ashman (Sale Sharks), Murphy Walker (Stirling County), Cameron Henderson (Stirling County), Ewan Johnson (Racing 92), Charlie Jupp (Heriot’s), Connor Boyle (Watsonians) (capt), Kwagga Van Niekirk (Lions).

Replacements: Angus Fraser (Glasgow Hawks), Andrew Nimmo (Glasgow Hawks), Euan McLaren (Ayr), Ross Bundy (Stirling County), Jack Mann (Edinburgh Accies), Kyle McGhie (Musselburgh), Nathan Chamberlain (Bristol Bears), Matt Davidson (London Scottish).

IRELAND U-20: Jake Flannery (Shannon/Munster); Conor Phillips (Young Munster/Munster), Liam Turner (Dublin University/Leinster), David Hawkshaw (Clontarf/Leinster) (capt), Jonathan Wren (Cork Constitution/Munster); Harry Byrne (Lansdowne/Leinster), Cormac Foley (St. Mary’s College/Leinster); Josh Wycherley (Young Munster/Munster), Dylan Tierney-Martin (Corinthians/Connacht), Thomas Clarkson (Dublin University/Leinster), Charlie Ryan (UCD/Leinster), Niall Murray (Buccaneers/Connacht), Martin Moloney (Old Belvedere/Leinster), Scott Penny (UCD/Leinster), John Hodnett (UCC/Munster).

Replacements: John McKee (Old Belvedere/Leinster), Michael Milne (UCD/Leinster), Luke Masters (Shannon/Munster), Brian Deeny (Clontarf/Leinster), David McCann (Banbridge/Ulster), Colm Reilly (Buccaneers/Connacht), Sean French (Cork Constitution/Munster), Rob Russell (Dublin University/Leinster).

Referee: Andrea Piardi (Italy)
Assistant Referees: Federico Vedovelli, Gianluca Gnecchi (both Italy)

Match Odds (Paddy Power): Scotland U-20s to win: 11/2; Draw: 25/1; Ireland U-20s to win: 1/8

Pre-Match Quotes – Noel McNamara (Ireland U-20s): “We got things started on a really positive note last Friday night in Cork, and it was a credit to the players with how well they finished the game. It was great to get the Championship off with a win like that, but there’s a new challenge in front of us this Friday.

“I’ve no doubt Scotland will be hurting from their loss at home to Italy. The players are very much focused on their own jobs for this Friday night, and they’re looking forward to their first away match of the campaign.”

Carl Hogg (Scotland U-20s): “I thought we came into the opening game of the Six Nations Championship with a huge amount of energy and enthusiasm. The key thing is being able to harness that emotion and passion, along with the process required to deliver a winning performance. We unfortunately didn’t achieve that balance and made some simple errors.

“We learned a huge amount from last week. In the first game with any new group, there’s a level of uncertainty about what behaviours and information will be retained in the heat of a match. This week we have made great strides in training, both in attack and defence, and this will be put to the test against a very good Irish team.”

Pre-Match Links –

McNamara Praises Ireland Under-20s’ ‘Character And Cohesion’

In Pics: Ireland Under-20s Win Thrilling Seven-Try Tussle With England

Campbell: There’s A Lot More To Come From This Group

Hodnett: There’s Huge Competition For Places

Recent Meetings –

2017: Under-20 Six Nations: Scotland U-20s 19 Ireland U-20s 20, Broadwood Stadium, Cumbernauld; World Rugby Under-20 Championship Pool B: Ireland U-20s 28 Scotland U-20s 32, Kutaisi Stadium, Kutaisi

2018: Under-20 Six Nations: Ireland U-20s 30 Scotland U-20s 25, Donnybrook; World Rugby U-20 Championship – 9th-12th Place Play-Off: Ireland U-20s 29 Scotland U-20s 45, Stade Aimé-Giral, Perpignan

Support the Ireland U-20s on www.facebook.com/irishrugby or search #FutureIsGreen, #SCOvIRE and #ShouldertoShoulder on www.twitter.com/irishrugby.