They may have missed out on a semi-final spot, but the battle for fifth place at the World Rugby Under-20 Championship is sure to be an intense one. Six Nations rivals Ireland and Wales clash tonight in Viadana, with the winners facing either Australia or Scotland.
2015 WORLD RUGBY UNDER-20 CHAMPIONSHIP – 5TH/8TH PLACE PLAY-OFF: Monday, June 15
IRELAND UNDER-20s (2nd, Pool C) v WALES UNDER-20s (3rd, Pool A), Stadio Luigi Zaffanella, Viadana, 8.30pm local time/7.30pm Irish time
Team News: Ireland Under-20 head coach Nigel Carolan has made five changes to the side that lost 25-3 to Pool C winners New Zealand in their last outing of the tournament in Italy.
Ciaran Gaffney makes a return to the starting line-up at full back, with Stephen Fitzgerald back on the right wing and Jacob Stockdale completing the back-three.
Old Belvedere’s Charlie Rock will make his first start for Ireland at Under-20 level, replacing injured captain Nick McCarthy at scrum half.
Up front, Conor Oliver, a try scorer against Scotland, slots back in at openside flanker and Nick Timoney also gets the nod at number 8. In the absence of McCarthy, blindside flanker Josh Murphy will captain the team.
Meanwhile, the Wales Under-20 team to pay Ireland contains two changes and two positional from the side that beat Japan 66-3 last Wednesday.
Harrison Keddie returns from injury to start at number 8 and Tom Phillips reverts to the blindside flanker role. Seb Davies moves to the second row alongside Adam Beard, with captain Rory Thornton having returned home for medical assessment on an injured knee.
Liam Belcher starts at hooker and Dragons flanker Ollie Griffiths has taken over the captaincy of the side. The back-line is unchanged.
World Rugby U-20 Championship Fixtures/Results
IRELAND U-20: Ciaran Gaffney (Galwegians/Connacht); Stephen Fitzgerald (Shannon/Munster), Garry Ringrose (UCD/Leinster), Sam Arnold (Ballynahinch/Ulster), Jacob Stockdale (Queen’s University Belfast/Ulster); Joey Carbery (UCD/Leinster), Charlie Rock (Old Belvedere/Leinster); Andrew Porter (UCD/Leinster), Sean McNulty (UCD/Leinster), Oisin Heffernan (Terenure College/Leinster), David O’Connor (St. Mary’s College/Leinster), Alex Thompson (Queen’s University Belfast/Ulster), Josh Murphy (UCD/Leinster) (capt), Conor Oliver (St. Mary’s College/Leinster), Nick Timoney (St. Mary’s College/Leinster).
Replacements: Adam McBurney (Ballymena/Ulster), Liam O’Connor (Cork Constitution/Munster), Conan O’Donnell (Sligo/NUIG/Connacht), Lorcan Dow (Queen’s University Belfast/Ulster), Rory Moloney (Buccaneers/Connacht), Tomás Quinlan (Cork Constitution/Munster), Fergal Cleary (Lansdowne/Leinster), Jack Owens (Queen’s University Belfast/Ulster).
WALES U-20: Dafydd Howells (Ospreys/Neath); Elis-Wyn Benham (Blues/Cardiff), Garyn Smith (Blues/Pontypridd), Owen Watkin (Ospreys/Bridgend), Joshua Adams (Scarlets/Llanelli); Jarrod Evans (Blues/Pontypridd), Tomos Williams (Blues/Pontypridd); Luke Garrett (Dragons/Cross Keys), Liam Belcher (Blues/Pontypridd), Dillon Lewis (Blues/Pontypridd), Seb Davies (Blues/Pontypridd), Adam Beard (Ospreys/Aberavon), Tom Phillips (Scarlets/Llanelli), Ollie Griffiths (Dragons/Newport) (capt), Harrison Keddie (Dragons/Ebbw Vale).
Replacements: Torin Myhill (Scarlets/Llanelli), Keagan Bale (Dragons/Cross Keys), Joe Jones (Blues/Cardiff), Lee Taylor (Carmarthen Quins), Ryan Elias (Scarlets/Carmarthen), Kieran Hardy (Scarlets/Carmarthen), Daniel Jones (Scarlets/Carmarthen), Joe Thomas (Ospreys/Swansea).
Referee: Will Houston (Australia)
Match Odds (Paddy Power): Ireland U-20s to win: 11/10; Draw: 20/1; Wales U-20s to win: 4/6
Pre-Match Quotes – Josh Murphy (Ireland U-20s): “The defeat to New Zealand was very disappointing on the night but the next day, the next morning, we did our video review straight away. There are a lot of things to improve on, a lot of things we did well and straight on to the Wales game.
“We saw in the Six Nations that they’re a very big side, probably bigger than New Zealand, but that doesn’t faze us. We got a bit pushed around by them in the Six Nations and lost quite a few points there but I think we’ve changed since then and we’re ready for them.”
Allan Lewis (Wales U-20s): “Spirits are high after a very good win against Japan and it’s important the good work that’s gone on in training translates to the game. Ireland certainly offer a greater physical presence than Japan, especially defensively.
“Ireland have done themselves justice so far in this tournament. They showed a great deal of commitment against New Zealand on Wednesday in a very physical encounter.”
Pre-Match Links –
Ireland U-20s To Face Wales In 5th-8th Place Play-Offs
In Pics: New Zealand U-20s 25 Ireland U-20s 3
McCarthy To Miss Rest Of World Rugby U-20 Championship
Wales U-20s Impress In 66-3 Win
Recent Meetings –
2014: U-20 RBS 6 Nations: Ireland U-20s 0 Wales U-20s 16, Dubarry Park; IRB Junior World Championship Pool B: Wales U-20s 21 Ireland U-20s 35, ECOLight Stadium, Pukekohe
2015: U-20 RBS 6 Nations: Wales U-20s 19 Ireland U-20s 12, Parc Eirias, Colwyn Bay
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