The Ireland and Scotland Under-20s both suffered defeats on the opening day and will be looking to bounce back when they meet in Kutaisi today. This is the sixth meeting of the two Celtic nations on the Under-20 Championship stage, with Ireland having won the previous five.
2017 WORLD RUGBY UNDER-20 CHAMPIONSHIP – POOL B: Sunday, June 4
IRELAND UNDER-20s (3rd) v SCOTLAND UNDER-20s (4th), Kutaisi Stadium, Kutaisi, 1pm local time/10am Irish time (live eir Sport 2/World Rugby live streaming in certain countries)
Team News: Head coach Peter Malone has announced the Ireland Under-20 team, sponsored by PwC, to face Scotland in the second round of the World Rugby U-20 Championship at Kutaisi Stadium.
Ireland’s starting line-up shows six personnel changes to the side that suffered dramatic one-point defeat to Italy in Wednesday’s Pool B opener.
Ronan Kelleher comes in at hooker, replacing Diarmuid Barron who suffered a fractured thumb during the first half of the Italy game. Barron has since returned home to Ireland and Shannon’s Adam Moloney has been called into the squad in his place.
Alongside Kelleher in the front row, Naas’ Jordan Duggan will win his first Ireland U-20 cap at loosehead prop. He replaces Joey Conway who is unavailable due to tightness in his back. Charlie Connolly remains at tighthead.
The second row pairing of Fineen Wycherley and Oisin Dowling is unchanged, while blindside flanker Sean Masterson will make his first U-20 start having been used as a replacement against Italy. He will pack down in the back row with captain Paul Boyle and number 8 Caelan Doris, who has recovered from the injury that kept him out of the opening fixture.
Shannon clubman Jack Stafford (pictured below) will also make his first start at scrum half, partnering Conor Dean at half-back, and Young Munster’s Alan Tynan, who impressed as a replacement against the Italians, is rewarded with his full debut at full-back.
Tynan features in a strong back-three with Jack Kelly and Calvin Nash, who scored two tries in the first round, while UCD and Leinster duo Ciaran Frawley and Gavin Mullin will again don the number 12 and 13 jerseys respectively.
Meanwhile, Scotland U-20 boss John Dalziel has made four changes to the team that lost 42-20 to New Zealand in midweek. The two alterations up front see Adam Nicol come in at tighthead prop and Bruce Flockhart gets the nod at blindside flanker.
Andrew Simmers is named at scrum half, with Harlequins’ Robbie Nairn promoted from the bench to start on the right wing. Ross McCann shifts to outside centre to accommodate Nairn’s inclusion. Patrick Anderson will make his U-20 debut for Scotland if he takes to the pitch as a replacement.
World Rugby U-20 Championship – Ticket Information
World Rugby U-20 Championship Results/Fixtures
IRELAND U-20: Alan Tynan (Young Munster/Munster); Jack Kelly (Dublin University/Leinster), Gavin Mullin (UCD/Leinster), Ciaran Frawley (UCD/Leinster), Calvin Nash (Young Munster/Munster); Conor Dean (St. Mary’s College/Leinster), Jack Stafford (Shannon/Munster); Jordan Duggan (Naas/Leinster), Ronan Kelleher (UCD/Leinster), Charlie Connolly (Dublin University/Leinster), Fineen Wycherley (Young Munster/Munster), Oisin Dowling (Lansdowne/Leinster), Sean Masterson (Corinthians/Connacht), Paul Boyle (Lansdowne/Leinster) (capt), Caelan Doris (St. Mary’s College/Leinster).
Replacements: Adam Moloney (Shannon/Munster), Greg McGrath (Lansdowne/Leinster), Peter Cooper (Belfast Harlequins/Ulster), Jack Regan (UCD/Leinster), Gavin Coombes (Young Munster/Munster), Jonny Stewart (Queen’s University/Ulster), Angus Curtis (Queen’s University/Ulster), Michael Silvester (Dublin University/Leinster).
SCOTLAND U-20: Blair Kinghorn (Edinburgh); Robbie Nairn (Harlequins), Ross McCann (Melrose), Stafford McDowall (Ayr), Darcy Graham (Hawick); Connor Eastgate (Wasps), Andrew Simmers (Heriot’s); George Thornton (Bishop Burton College), Fraser Renwick (Hawick), Adam Nicol (Stirling County), Alex Craig (Gloucester), Callum Hunter-Hill (Stirling County) (capt), Bruce Flockhart (Glasgow Hawks), Luke Crosbie (Currie), Matt Fagerson (Glasgow Hawks).
Replacements: Robbie Smith (Ayr), Fergus Bradbury (Stirling County), Ross Dunbar (Boroughmuir), Hamish Bain (Currie), Tom Dodd (Worcester Warriors), Charlie Shiel (Currie), Josh Henderson (Glasgow Hawks), Patrick Anderson (Melrose).
Referee: Dan Jones (Wales)
Assistant Referees: Tasuku Kawahara (Japan), Shota Tevzadze (Georgia)
Television Match Official: Johan Greeff (South Africa)
Match Odds (Paddy Power): Ireland U-20s to win: 1/3; Draw: 20/1; Scotland U-20s to win: 12/5
Pre-Match Quotes – Peter Malone (Ireland U-20s): “Italy was a tough game and everyone was really disappointed with the result, but you can’t afford to dwell on these things in this type of tournament.
“We’ve reviewed that game and looked at the key areas that went wrong for us. We’ve also had the chance to look at Scotland and we know from our meeting during the Six Nations that it’s going to be another tough game.
“The players have recovered and trained well over the last three days and now they’re just really looking forward to getting out there again in round 2.”
John Dalziel (Scotland U-20s): “We’ve named a fairly settled side, with a few players meriting selection through their performance in training and in the match against New Zealand.
“It’s been a quick turnaround, but this game is huge in terms of it is a must-win if we are to hit the targets we have set ourselves as a group.
“We know Ireland are a quality side and there’s no doubt we’re in for a big battle come game-time, but we fronted up for large periods of the game against New Zealand and we’ll be looking to take those positives from that performance into this match.”
Pre-Match Links –
Teams Target Vital Wins To Keep Title Hopes Alive
Five Things We Learnt From Day One In Georgia
World Rugby Under-20 Championship – Pool B Preview
Law Trials To Be Rolled Out At U-20 Championship
Recent Meetings –
2015: U-20 Six Nations: Scotland U-20s 17 Ireland U-20s 10, Netherdale; World Rugby U-20 Championship Pool C: Ireland U-20s 24 Scotland U-20s 20, Stadio San Michele, Calvisano; World Rugby U-20 Championship – 7th/8th Place Play-Off: Ireland U-20s 17 Scotland U-20s 9, Stadio Luigi Zaffanella, Viadana
2016: U-20 Six Nations: Ireland U-20s 26 Scotland U-20s 18, Donnybrook
2017: U-20 Six Nations: Scotland U-20s 19 Ireland U-20s 20, Broadwood Stadium, Cumbernauld
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