Hello and welcome to our live coverage of the Ireland U20s final Pool B clash at the World Championships, with Richie Murphy’s side taking on Fiji in Stellenbosch as they look to book a place in the semi-finals.

It’s been a desperately sad few days for the group following the deaths of two former St Michael’s students in Greece over the weekend, before Greig Oliver’s tragic passing in Cape Town yesterday. Greig’s son, Jack, had been named among the Ireland replacements today.

The players have decided they still want to fulfil today’s fixture so the game is going ahead as planned, with kick-off at 12.30pm Irish time.

We’ll bring you all the action from Stellenbosch as it happens, with confirmed team news to follow shortly.

Here’s how Ireland are set to line out today. Jack Oliver had been named on the bench but won’t be involved, with Paddy McCarthy taking his place among the Ireland substitutes.

IRELAND U20s: Henry McErlean; James Nicholson, Sam Berman, John Devine, Andrew Osborne; Matthew Lynch, Oscar Cawley; George Hadden, Danny Sheahan, Fiachna Barrett; Evan O’Connell, Joe Hopes; Diarmuid Mangan (captain), Dan Barron, Brian Gleeson.

Replacements: Max Clein, George Morris, Ronan Foxe, Charlie Irvine, Gus McCarthy, Paddy McCarthy, Sam Prendergast, Hugh Gavin.

The teams are out on the pitch. There will be a minute’s silence before the anthems in memory of Greig Oliver.

KICK-OFF

3mins: Ireland 0 Fiji 0

A lively start in Stellenbosch. It’s a good kickoff and chase from Ireland, who apply some pressure and win a lineout in the Fiji 22. They win the ball and maul forward but Fiji hold them out. Ireland go to the corner, win the ball again but are pinged for an infringement at the lineout, so Fiji survive that early spell of pressure.

TRY – Ireland 7 (Gleeson) Fiji 0

8mins: Ireland 7 Fiji 0

Ireland get the reward for their strong start as Brian Gleeson charges over from close range with a powerful carry. Matthew Lynch adds the conversion and Ireland lead 7-0. There’s a been a few small errors but so far, this has been really good from Ireland.

TRY – Ireland 12 (Sheahan) Fiji 0

12mins: Ireland 12 Fiji 0

This is relentless from Ireland. Again, Fiji can’t handle the Ireland maul and Danny Sheahan dots down Ireland’s second try. Lynch is off target with the conversion. Fiji have hardly managed to get out of their own half so far.

TRY – Ireland 12 Fiji 7 (McGoon)

17mins – Ireland 12 Fiji 7 (McGoon)

Fiji respond with a well-worked try, Moses McGoon touching down after a strong carry from captain Moti Murray. Isaiah Ravula converts and it’s a one-score game.

What a carry from Gleeson 🔥@IrishRugby are applying the pressure 👊#WorldRugbyU20s pic.twitter.com/idBeGfm2xR

— World Rugby (@WorldRugby) July 4, 2023

TRY – Ireland 19 (Hadden) Fiji 7

21mins – Ireland 19 Fiji 7

Try number three for Ireland, and again a well-worked lineout lays the platform, with George Hadden crossing after another big shove from the Ireland maul. Lynch converts and with just 20 minutes played, Ireland are already chasing the bonus-point score.

Here’s a look at Ireland’s second try, scored by Danny Sheahan.

𝐃𝐀𝐍𝐍𝐘 𝐒𝐇𝐄𝐀𝐇𝐀𝐍! 🟢

What a start this is by Ireland!

☘️ 12-0 🇫🇯#WorldRugbyU20s pic.twitter.com/2E8I9vmNmX

— Virgin Media Sport (@VMSportIE) July 4, 2023

31mins: Ireland 19 Fiji 7

The game has settled down a little after that fast start. Moti Murray looking very dangerous for Fiji, while John Devine is putting in some big defensive hits for Ireland. Both teams happy to run the ball when they can, with conditions much more agreeable than the driving rain and mud we saw in Paarl last week.

TRY – Ireland 26 (Gleeson) Fiji 7

34mins: Ireland 26 Fiji 7

There’s the bonus point score, and that should see Ireland through to the semi-finals. It’s Gleeson who crosses for his second, after Devine went close after running a brilliant line, only to be held up short. Gleeson then has a go and after a quick TMO check, the try is awarded. Lynch adds the extras and Ireland have their bonus point try before half-time.

Here’s Ireland’s fourth try. Really good work from Devine before Gleeson finished the job.

𝐓𝐇𝐄𝐑𝐄'𝐒 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐁𝐎𝐍𝐔𝐒 𝐏𝐎𝐈𝐍𝐓! ✅

Brilliant from Ireland to secure the crucial point so early in this game!

Brian Gleeson yet again with the try after brilliant work by John Devine.#WorldRugbyU20s pic.twitter.com/aEib0DeTAl

— Virgin Media Sport (@VMSportIE) July 4, 2023

TRY – Ireland 26 Fiji 12 (Ravula)

39mins: Ireland 26 Fiji 12 (Ravula)

Try number six of a busy first half, and this time it’s Fiji who strike. They go close under the posts before spinning the ball wide, where out-half Ravula takes advantage of some space in the Ireland defence to race over. He can’t convert his own score, and that should be the last meaningful action of the first half.

HALF TIME

The second-half has just kicked off in Stellenbosch. In today’s other Pool B game, England are currently 7-3 up against Australia after 26 minutes.  

TRY – Ireland 26 Fiji 17 (Murray)

44mins: Ireland 26 Fiji 17

Fiji get the first score of the second half, and no surprise that’s it that man Murray, who finishes well after Fiji break from deep. Ravula then doesn’t get his conversion away before the shot clock, so Fiji leave another two points behind. In the other game it’s now 10-7 to Australia after 33 minutes. 

𝐅𝐈𝐉𝐈 𝐒𝐂𝐎𝐑𝐄 𝐒𝐓𝐑𝐀𝐈𝐆𝐇𝐓 𝐅𝐑𝐎𝐌 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐑𝐄𝐒𝐓𝐀𝐑𝐓!

What a start to the second half!

☘️ 26-17 🇫🇯#WorldRugbyU20s pic.twitter.com/h5UMVeo5PP

— Virgin Media Sport (@VMSportIE) July 4, 2023

TRY – Ireland 26 Fiji 22 (Finau)

49mins: Ireland 26 Fiji 22

Fiji are flying at the moment and are over again after another free-flowing attacking move, Patelisio Finau diving over after a couple of smarts offloads. Ravula misses the conversion but this is getting a bit nervy for Ireland. Meanwhile Sam Prendergast has come in for fullback Henry McErlean, who seemed to pick up a knock during the move that led to that score.

𝐅𝐢𝐣𝐢 𝐬𝐜𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐚𝐠𝐚𝐢𝐧! 😮

This is start to get nervy!

Two quick second-half tries have them right back in this!

☘️ 26-22 🇫🇯#WorldRugbyU20s pic.twitter.com/krnUKjroo6

— Virgin Media Sport (@VMSportIE) July 4, 2023

53mins: Ireland 26 Fiji 22

Richie Murphy has decided it’s time for fresh legs, replacing his entire front row. There’s a little bit of niggle creeping into the game now, with Fiji guilty of a couple of late tackles.

TRY – Ireland 33 (McCarthy) Fiji 22

57mins: Ireland 33 Fiji 22

That’s just what Ireland needed. Gus McCarthy, who’s only been on the pitch a couple of minutes, gets Ireland’s first score of the second half, which came from another Ireland lineout. Sam Prendergast converts and Ireland have put some distance between the two sides on the scoreboard again.

Australia now lead England 17-14 after 41 minutes. 

𝐆𝐔𝐒 𝐌𝐂𝐂𝐀𝐑𝐓𝐇𝐘! 🟢

Ireland's regular captain comes off to bench and scores a try off his own lineout!

Prendergast adds the two.

☘️ 33-22 🇫🇯#WorldRugbyU20s pic.twitter.com/vvpt44u9Bj

— Virgin Media Sport (@VMSportIE) July 4, 2023

TRY – Ireland 40 (Osborne) Fiji 22

67mins: Ireland 40 Fiji 22

Well that came out of nowhere. The error count had been creeping up for both sides, Ireland throwing the ball out of play twice in quick succession, with Fiji also guilty of turning the ball over far too easily. The Ireland lineout was also beginning to misfire, with Ireland losing the ball in a great position in the Fiji 22. 

Then, it all clicked into place. Andrew Osborne ran a great line out the back of the next Ireland lineout, taking the pass from Prendergast to score a brilliant try. Prendergast converts and Ireland lead by eight again.

England lead Australia 19-17 after 43 minutes.

Here’s the Andrew Osborne try, which had more than a hint of his older brother, Jamie, about it.

𝐖𝐇𝐀𝐓 𝐀 𝐓𝐑𝐘! 🟢

Great lineout! Lovely hands from Prendergast! Brilliant pace and footwork from Andrew Osborne! 👏

☘️ 40-22 🇫🇯#WorldRugbyU20s pic.twitter.com/ZNd76gEoSH

— Virgin Media Sport (@VMSportIE) July 4, 2023

Yellow card: Masiwini

A very late tackle on Ireland scrum-half Oscar Cawley sees Fiji winger Sireli Masiwini sent to the bin.

TRY – Ireland 47 (McCarthy) Fiji 22

78mins: Ireland 47 Fiji 22

Gus McCarthy gets his second with another powerful drive from the maul. That’s try number seven for Ireland, with Prendergast adding the conversion. Super stuff from Richie Murphy’s side.

TRY – Ireland 47 Fiji 27 (Navonovono)

FULL TIME

Navonovono runs in another late try for Fiji, who kept going in the second half even as Ireland pulled away. Ralogaivau misses the conversion and that will be that in Stellenbosch.

After a very difficult couple of days for this Ireland team, Richie Murphy’s side get the job done and are through to the semi-finals. Ireland won’t know their opponent until later today, and their final place in Pool B will be confirmed following the Australia v England game. As it stands, Ireland lead England by one point in the table. Either way, Ireland will go through as pool winners or as the best-placed runners up. England currently lead Australia 22-17 with 60 minutes played.

Thanks for joining our live coverage today, we’ll have a full report and all the reaction from Stellenbosch on The 42 shortly.