ONCE MORE UNTO the breach for Noel McNamara’s injury-ravaged Ireland.
After three gruelling pool games at this U20 World Championship, a familiar foe provides the next challenge for the Grand Slam winners as they meet England for the second time in two weeks and third time this year.
A fifth-place playoff semi-final is not where either of these teams wanted to be but injuries have severely depleted Ireland once again, as they narrowly fell short of advancing through as one of the best runners-up.
As it is, they’ve travelled from Santa Fe to Rosario for tonight’s third renewal of battle lines against England [KO 7.30pm Irish time, eir Sport], with the winner going on to face either New Zealand or Wales on Saturday.
McNamara has lost two more players — back rows Ciaran Booth [knee] and David McCann [head] — and the head coach makes eight changes in personnel for this evening’s clash at Club Old Resian.
Booth and McCann became the fifth and sixth players to head home early from Argentina, after Iwan Hughes, Sean French, Stewart Moore and John Hodnett also suffered tournament-ending injuries during the pool stages.
Ireland opened their campaign with a brilliant 42-26 victory over England but it will be a very different looking starting XV later, although hooker Dylan Tierney-Martin and Charlie Ryan are among those recalled.
Leinster academy back Aaron O’Sullivan is drafted in for his debut at U20 level, while David Ryan — the younger brother of James — starts in midfield alongside Liam Turner.
Clontarf second row Brian Deeny has recovered from his own injury travails to link up with the squad as the latest injury replacement, and he takes his place among the replacements.
“In terms of our next opponents, we’re pretty knowledgeable about England, particularly this year,” McNamara said.
“It’s the third instalment of a three-Test series, so we’re really looking forward to that challenge. I think we’ve both got a good idea of what’s coming down the line, so it’s a pretty exciting challenge for us.”
England beat the Junior Wallabies 56-33 to restore some pride in their campaign having seen their run of six consecutive finals end, and will be keen to avoid a third successive defeat to Ireland as they begin the playoffs outside the top four for only the second time in U20 Championship history.
Head coach Steve Bates makes two changes in personnel, with Kai Owen named at loosehead prop and Alex Coles coming into the second row. Manu Vunipola starts at 10 and senior international Ted Hill is again at number eight.
“We felt it was important to give the majority of the side that played against Australia another go as it was by far our best performance of the tournament,” Bates said.
“The challenge for our squad now is to back up that performance with one that is better.”
Ireland U20s:
15. Jake Flannery (Shannon/Munster)
14. Aaron O’Sullivan (UCD/Leinster)
13. Liam Turner (Dublin University/Leinster) (captain)
12. David Ryan (UCD/Leinster)
11. Jonathan Wren (Cork Constitution/Munster)
10. Ben Healy (Garryowen/Munster)
9. Craig Casey (Shannon/Munster)
1. Michael Milne (UCD/Leinster)
2. Dylan Tierney-Martin (Corinthians/Connacht)
3. Charlie Ward (Clontarf/Leinster)
4. Charlie Ryan (UCD/Leinster) (capt)
5. Thomas Ahern (Shannon/Munster)
6. Ryan Baird (Dublin University/Leinster)
7. Ronan Watters (St. Mary’s College/Leinster)
8. Azur Allison (Ballymena/Ulster)
Replacements:
16. Declan Adamson (Clontarf/Leinster)
17. Thomas Clarkson (Dublin University/Leinster)
18. Josh Wycherley (Young Munster/Munster)
19. John McKee (Old Belvedere/Leinster)
20. Brian Deeny (Clontarf/Leinster)
21. Niall Murray (Buccaneers/Connacht)
22. Luke Clohessy (Shannon/Munster)
24. Colm Reilly (Buccaneers/Connacht)
25. Rob Russell (Dublin University/Leinster)
26. Cormac Foley (St. Mary’s College/Leinster)
27. Angus Kernohan (Queen’s University/Ulster)
28. Max O’Reilly (Dublin University/Leinster).
England U20s:
15. Tom de Glanville (Bath Rugby)
14. Ollie Sleightholme (Northampton Saints)
13. Fraser Dingwall (Northampton Saints)(captain)
12. Cameron Redpath (Sale Sharks)
11. Josh Hodge (Newcastle Falcons)
10. Manu Vunipola (Saracens)
9. Sam Maunder (Exeter Chiefs)
1. Kai Owen (Worcester Warriors)
2. Will Capon (Bristol Bears)
3. Joe Heyes (Leicester Tigers)
4. Joel Kpoku (Saracens)
5. Alex Coles (Northampton Saints)
6. Richard Capstick (Exeter Chiefs)
7. Aaron Hinkley (Gloucester Rugby)
8. Ted Hill (Worcester Warriors).
Replacements:
16. Nic Dolly (Sale Sharks)
17. Olly Adkins (Gloucester Rugby)
18. James Kenny (Exeter Chiefs)
19. Tom Willis (Wasps Rugby)
20. Rusiate Tuima (Exeter Chiefs)
21. Ollie Fox (Yorkshire Carnegie)
22. Connor Doherty (Sale Sharks)
23. Tom Seabrook (Gloucester Rugby)
24. Luke James (Sale Sharks)
25. Ollie Hassell-Collins (London Irish).
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