Top seeds in their World Rugby Under-20 Championship pool after their runners-up finish last summer, the Ireland U-20s will certainly not underestimate the threat posed by Italy after they had to withstand a late rally by the Azzurrini to win their U-20 Six Nations encounter 27-26 in February.
2017 WORLD RUGBY UNDER-20 CHAMPIONSHIP – POOL B: Wednesday, May 31
IRELAND UNDER-20s v ITALY UNDER-20s, Kutaisi Stadium, Kutaisi, 3.30pm local time/12.30pm Irish time (live eir Sport 1/World Rugby live streaming in certain countries)
Team News: Head coach Peter Malone has finalised the Ireland Under-20 team, sponsored by PwC, to play Italy in Wednesday’s opening Pool B match at the World Rugby U-20 Championship in Kutaisi, Georgia.
There are six personnel changes to the Ireland Under-20 side that was pipped by England in March’s final round of the U-20 Six Nations – most of them enforced due to a number of untimely injuries.
With Jordan Larmour, Tommy O’Brien and Bill Johnston all missing the tournament through injury, Dublin University duo Jack Kelly and Colm Hogan return to the back-three, while St. Mary’s young gun Conor Dean, a son of former Ireland and Lions out-half and current Ireland senior team manager Paul Dean, will make his U-20 debut in the number 10 jersey.
Up front, Garryowen hooker Diarmuid Barron, a late addition to the Irish squad, is the only new cap, slotting in beside props Joey Conway and Charlie Connolly. John Foley and Caelan Doris, who both started against England, are nursing knocks at the moment, so Marcus Rea of Queen’s University and Young Munster’s Gavin Coombes join newly-appointed captain Paul Boyle in the back row.
Forwards Peter Cooper and Sean Masterson come back into the matchday 23 as replacements, with the selected bench also including Angus Curtis, who impressed at out-half recently for the Ireland U-19s, and fellow U-20 debutant Alan Tynan – one of the real success stories of Young Munster’s Ulster Bank League campaign.
Head coach Malone, who is assisted by Kieran Campbell, said: “The U-20 World Championship is always an exciting competition and we are looking forward to the challenge ahead of us.
“We’re looking forward to the game against Italy and starting the tournament. Having played them a few months ago in the Six Nations, we know they are not a team to be underestimated, but the team are excited, focused and determined to make a good start.”
Back in February, Ireland emerged with a hard-fought 27-26 victory over the Italians in Prato, with backs Larmour (2) and O’Brien running in trio of second half tries. eir Sport will broadcast Ireland’s games in Georgia, while ITV are also televising the tournament and there will be live streaming for certain countries on the World Rugby website.
Meanwhile, Italy Under-20 coaches Carlo Orlandi and Alessandro Troncon have a good deal of continuity from this year’s U-20 Six Nations with ten starters from the Ireland game included for this rematch.
Strong-carrying number 8 Giovanni Licata is part of an unchanged back row, while Antonio Rizzi and Charly Trussardi are two snappy half-backs. The Azzurrini always bank on a strong scrum and their tighthead and captain Marco Riccioni comes into the tournament on a high after helping Calvisano win the Eccellenza title.
Italy have drawn one match and lost 11 against Ireland at U-20 level, and they have struggled to make an impact at recent World Rugby U-20 Championships, needing play-off wins in each of the last three years to finish 11th and avoid dropping down to the Trophy competition.
World Rugby U-20 Championship – Ticket Information
World Rugby U-20 Championship Fixtures
IRELAND U-20: Jack Kelly (Dublin University/Leinster); Colm Hogan (Dublin University/Munster), Gavin Mullin (UCD/Leinster), Ciaran Frawley (UCD/Leinster), Calvin Nash (Young Munster/Munster); Conor Dean (St. Mary’s College/Leinster), Jonny Stewart (Queen’s University/Ulster); Joey Conway (UL Bohemians/Munster), Diarmuid Barron (Garryowen/Munster), Charlie Connolly (Dublin University/Leinster), Fineen Wycherley (Young Munster/Munster), Oisin Dowling (Lansdowne/Leinster), Marcus Rea (Queen’s University/Ulster), Paul Boyle (Lansdowne/Leinster) (capt), Gavin Coombes (Young Munster/Munster).
Replacements: Ronan Kelleher (UCD/Leinster), Greg McGrath (Lansdowne/Leinster), Peter Cooper (Belfast Harlequins/Ulster), Jack Regan (UCD/Leinster), Sean Masterson (Corinthians/Connacht), Jack Stafford (Shannon/Munster), Angus Curtis (Queen’s University/Ulster), Alan Tynan (Young Munster/Munster).
ITALY U-20: Massimo Cioffi (SS Lazio Rugby 1927); Andrea de Masi (Benetton Treviso), Marco Zanon (Mogliano Rugby), Dario Schiabel (Lafert San Donà), Giovanni d’Onofrio (Rugby Benevento); Antonio Rizzi (Mogliano Rugby), Charly Vincenzo Ernst Trussardi (Clermont Auvergne); Danilo Fischetti (Unione Rugby Capitolina), Massimo Ceciliani (Delebio Rugby), Marco Riccioni (Patarò Calvisano) (capt), Niccolò Cannone (Florentia Rugby), Edoardo Iachizzi (Perpignan), Jacopo Bianchi (Vasari Arezzo), Lorenzo Masselli (Sitav Rugby Lyons), Giovanni Licata (Miraglia Rugby).
Replacements: Alberto Rollero (Sitav Rugby Lyons), Daniele Rimpelli (Patarò Calvisano), Dante Gavrilita (Patarò Calvisano), Lodovico Manni (Mogliano Rugby), Michele Lamaro (SS Lazio Rugby 1927), MatteoMaria Panunzi (Unione Rugby Capitolina), Filippo di Marco (L’Aquila Rugby Club), Andrea Bronzini (Rugby Viadana 1970).
Referee: Mike Adamson (Scotland)
Assistant Referees: Christophe Ridley (England), Nika Amashukeli (Georgia)
Television Match Official: Jon Mason (Wales)
Match Odds (Paddy Power): Ireland U-20s to win: 1/16; Draw: 35/1; Italy U-20s to win: 17/2
Pre-Match Quotes – Paul Boyle (Ireland U-20s): “I got the (captaincy) call when I was driving my car back to Dublin. I had a buddy in the car beside me. I had to pull over fast, because it was a surprise to me.
“I was delighted to get it. The lads that have captained the team so far have experience and they’ll be able to help me along the way.
“(Losing players to injury) actually hasn’t affected us too much. We kind of just sat down when the squad was announced and said ‘look, these are the 28 players that we have to play with and we’re really just going to concentrate on that’.
“Obviously a few lads are very unlucky but there’s also lads there that are ready to step up. We’ve trained as a panel of 40 the whole way so it’s not like we’re bringing too many new fellas in. They all know their job and they’re well able to step up.”
Jack Kelly (Ireland U-20s): “It’s easier for myself, having not played in a good few months, to concentrate on trying to play well and not having to worry about the team as a whole. It’s a bit of pressure off (not being captain).
“We always talked about the captaincy just being the person who spoke to the ref. Paul (Boyle) was one of the leaders in the team anyway. The only real difference is the role on the pitch, but it is nice to just concentrate on my own game and just get back at it.
“It looked pretty touch and go for a while (with my shoulder injury), but now it looks like I will be able to play. I’d always be fighting against the support staff back in Leinster, but they are happy for me to go.
“Initially they came to me and said, ‘if you do not turn a corner with your rehab it might not happen’. They would not let me go if they weren’t completely confident that I would be able to play. Thankfully with the rehab, with the work I was doing, it came around.”
Pre-Match Links –
World Rugby Under-20 Championship – Pool B Preview
Law Trials To Be Rolled Out At U-20 Championship
Excitement And Nerves Aplenty For Opening Day In Georgia
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
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