IRELAND U20s COACH Mike Ruddock has made four changes to his starting team for tomorrow’s fixture against Fiji in Pool B of the Junior World Championship in New Zealand [KO 2.35am Irish time].
Regardless of results elsewhere, a bonus-point win for Ruddock’s men would see them qualify for the semi-finals of the competition for the first time.
Cork Con scrum-half Ryan Foley, who was impressive off the bench in Friday’s excellent win over Wales, starts in the nine shirt, with Nick McCarthy dropping to the bench. Lansdowne’s Stephen Gardiner comes into the second row in place of Darragh Moloney.
Josh Murphy of UCD and Buccaneers’ Rory Moloney both start in the back row, with the Frankie Taggart and Peader Timmins making way after a demanding shift against Wales. Ulsterman Taggart is included on the bench.
In our last two matches we got the result against Wales and were very competitive against France, so to sum it up I would say we have got a little better with each game,” said Ruddock ahead of the clash at QBE Stadium in Auckland.
“It would be a big achievement [to reach the semi-finals] but we don’t want to get carried away with the outcome. We have really focused on the process and our game-plan, tactically and mentally we have got to bring it.”
Ireland U20 team to face Fiji tomorrow:
15. Cian Kelleher (Lansdowne/Leinster)
14. Ciaran Gaffney (Galwegians/Connacht)
13. Garry Ringrose (UCD/Leinster)
12. Dan Goggin (Young Munster/Munster)
11. Alex Wootton (Garryowen/Munster)
10. Ross Byrne (UCD/Leinster)
9. Ryan Foley (Cork Constitution/Munster)
1. Peter Dooley (Lansdowne/Leinster)
2. Max Abbott (Cork Constitution/Munster)
3. Rory Burke (Cork Constitution/Munster)
4. Stephen Gardiner (Lansdowne/Leinster)
5. Ross Molony (UCD/Leinster)
6. Josh Murphy (UCD/Leinster)
7. Rory Moloney (Buccaneers/Connacht)
8. Jack O’Donoghue (UL Bohemians/Munster) (capt)
Replacements:
16. Dylan Donnellan (UCD/Leinster)
17. Denis Coulson (Lansdowne/Leinster)
18. Oisin Heffernan (Lansdowne/Leinster)
19. Darragh Moloney (Cork Constitution/Munster)
20. Frankie Taggart (Belfast Harlequins/Ulster)
21. Nick McCarthy (UCD/Leinster)
22. Conor McKeon (Lansdowne/Leinster)
23. Harrison Brewer (Terenure College/Leinster)
