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Ireland make one change for World Rugby U20 Championship final
By Josh Raisey
Ireland U20 flanker James McNabney will return from his two-match ban to start against France U20 on Friday in the World Rugby U20 Championship final in the only change head coach Richie Murphy has made from the team that beat South Africa U20 in the semi-final.
McNabney was handed the ban for a dangerous tackle against Australia U20 in round two, but returns to start in the final, forcing Diarmuid Mangan to move from the back-row to the second-row and meaning Charlie Irvine drops to the bench.
There are two changes on the bench, with Max Clein replacing Danny Sheahan at hooker and Irvine replacing Dan Barron.
Murphy said: "The entire group are fully focused on producing our best performance of the season on Friday night because we know we'll need it against a very strong France team. We have made good progress throughout the tournament but we will need to fine-tune all areas of our game for the final.
"The players and staff are excited about the challenge ahead and we look forward to representing Ireland in the World Rugby U20 Championship final. The level of support we have received from back home throughout has been incredible and a major boost for everyone, and we will do everything to finish the season on the ultimate high."
Ireland U20s
15. Henry McErlean (Terenure/Leinster)
14. Andrew Osborne (Naas/Leinster)
13. Hugh Gavin (Galwegians RFC/Connacht)
12. John Devine (Corinthians/Connacht)
11. James Nicholson (UCD/Leinster)
10. Sam Prendergast (Lansdowne/Leinster)
9. Fintan Gunne (Terenure College RFC/Leinster)
1. Paddy McCarthy (Dublin University FC/Leinster)
2. Gus McCarthy (UCD/Leinster)(captain)
3. Ronan Foxe (Old Belvedere/Leinster)
4. Diarmuid Mangan (UCD/Leinster)
5. Conor O’Tighearnaigh (UCD RFC/Leinster)
6. James McNabney (Ballymena RFC/Ulster)
7. Ruadhan Quinn (Old Crescent RFC/Munster)
8. Brian Gleeson (Garryowen/Munster)
Replacements
16. Max Clein (Garryowen/Munster)
17. George Hadden (Clontarf/Leinster)
18. Fiachna Barrett (Corinthians/Connacht)
19. Charlie Irvine (Queen’s University/Ulster)
20. Evan O’Connell (UL Bohemians/Munster)
21. Oscar Cawley (Naas/Leinster)
22. Matthew Lynch (Dublin University/Leinster)
23. Sam Berman (Dublin University/Leinster)
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Latest Comments
It is if he thinks he’s got hold of the ball and there is at least one other player between him and the ball carrier, which is why he has to reach around and over their heads. Not a deliberate action for me.
Go to commentsI understand, but England 30 years ago were a set piece focused kick heavy team not big on using backs.
Same as now.
South African sides from any period will have a big bunch of forwards smashing it up and a first five booting everything in their own half.
NZ until recently rarely if ever scrummed for penalties; the scrum is to attack from, broken play, not structured is what we’re after.
Same as now.
These are ways of playing very ingrained into the culture.
If you were in an English club team and were off to Fiji for a game against a club team you’d never heard of and had no footage of, how would you prepare?
For a forward dominated grind or would you assume they will throw the ball about because they are Fijian?
A Fiji way. An English way.
An Australian way depends on who you’ve scraped together that hasn’t been picked off by AFL or NRL, and that changes from generation to generation a lot of the time.
Actually, maybe that is their style. In fact, yes they have a style.
Nevermind. Fuggit I’ve typed it all out now.
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