IRELAND U20S SUFFERED a 15-8 defeat to Italy in a challenge match at UCD Bowl on Saturday afternoon.
Richie Murphy had assembled a squad for a four-day training camp at the IRFU High Performance Centre this week and today’s encounter with Italy, which was an uncapped international, was designed purely as a workout ahead of bigger days in next year’s Six Nations.
Tony Butler’s first-half penalty for the hosts was soundly eclipsed by two Italian tries in UCD, and while Aitzol King dragged Ireland back into the contest in the second period, Italian 10 Nicolo Teneggi kicked a late penalty to seal the deal for the visitors.
Ireland are scheduled to meet again for camp on 27 December before facing Munster Development at Musgrave Park on 30 December.
Murphy’s men open their Six Nations campaign against Wales on Friday 4 February in Cork.
Ireland (v Italy)
- 15. Dylan O’Grady (UCD RFC/Leinster)
- 14. Chay Mullins (Bristol Bears/IQ Rugby)
- 13. Fionn Gibbons (UCD RFC/Leinster)
- 12. Ben Brownlee (UCD RFC/Leinster)
- 11. Aitzol King (Clontarf FC/Leinster)
- 10. Charlie Tector (Lansdowne FC/Leinster)
- 9. Ethan Coughlan (Shannon RFC/Munster)
- 1. Ben Popplewell (Lansdowne FC/Leinster)
- 2. Dylan Murphy (Garryowen FC/Munster)
- 3. Rory McGuire (UCD RFC/Leinster)
- 4. Conor O’Tighearnaigh (UCD RFC/Leinster)
- 5. Mark Morrissey (UCD RFC/Leinster)
- 6. Lorcan McLoughlin (Queen’s University Belfast/Ulster)
- 7. Reuben Crothers (Ballynahinch RFC/Ulster)(Captain)
- 8. James Culhane (UCD RFC/Leinster)
Replacements:
- 16. Josh Hanlon (Ballynahinch RFC/Ulster)
- 17. Oisin Michel (Lansdowne FC/Leinster)
- 18. Darragh McSweeney (Shannon RFC/Munster)
- 19. Fionn McWey (Old Belvedere RFC/Leinster)
- 20. James McNabney (Ballymana RFC/Ulster)
- 21. Matthew Devine (Corinthians RFC/Connacht)
- 22. Tony Butler (Garryowen FC/Munster)
- 23. Darragh French (UCC RFC/Munster)
- 24. Conor Moloney (Young Munster/Munster)
- 25. Callum O’Reilly (Dublin University FC/Leinster)
