Rugby – Ireland U20 side named for Semi-Final clash with Argentina

Screen Shot 2016-06-19 at 15.09.24The Ireland U20 side has been named to face Argentina in the World Rugby U20 Championships Semi-Final at 5.30pm tomorrow evening at the Manchester City Academy Stadium.

Head Coach Nigel Carolan has made a number of changes to the side that defeated Georgia to top Pool A on Wednesday.

Front-rowers Andrew Porter, Adam McBurney and Ben Betts all return to the starting XV, as does captain James Ryan, who has recovered from the thigh injury that kept him out of the Georgia match. He will be joined in the second row by Sean O’Connor.

The back-row is comprised of Max Deegan at number 8 and flankers David Aspil and Greg Jones. Jones will be making his fourth start of the Championship.

Stephen Kerins will wear the number 9 jersey and will be partnered at half-back by Johnny McPhillips, who scored 18 points in last week’s Georgian win.

Conor O’Brien and Shane Daly make up the centre partnership and the back three is comprised of Jacob Stockdale at full-back and Matthew Byrne and Hugo Keenan on the wings.

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Speaking ahead of the Semi-Final, Carolan said;

The players have done really well to get themselves into a World Championship Semi-Final.

There’s a great belief amongst this group and they’ve shown what they can do as a team over the course of the last number of games.

Argentina are going to present another big test for us. They have a lot of physicality up front as well as pace out wide so we are going to need to be at the top of our game tomorrow.”

The match will be broadcast live on TG4 and Sky Sports 3 and will be refereed by Craig Maxwell-Keys of the RFU.

Ireland U20 v Argentina U20.
World Rugby U20 Championship Semi-Final
Manchester City Academy Stadium, Monday 20th June 2016, 5.30pm.

15. Jacob Stockdale (Belfast Harlequins / Ulster)
14. Matthew Byrne (Terenure / Leinster)
13. Shane Daly (Cork Con / Munster)
12. Conor O’Brien (Clontarf / Leinster)
11. Hugo Keenan (UCD / Leinster)
10. Johnny McPhillips (Queen’s University / Ulster)
9. Stephen Kerins (Sligo / Connacht)

1. Andrew Porter (UCD / Leinster)
2. Adam McBurney (Ballymena / Ulster)
3. Ben Betts (Young Munster / Munster)
4. Sean O’Connor (Cashel / Munster)
5. James Ryan (Lansdowne / Leinster) Captain
6. Greg Jones (UCD / Leinster)
7. David Aspil (St.Mary’s RFC / Leinster)
8. Max Deegan (Lansdowne / Leinster)

Replacements
16. Vincent O’Brien (Cork Con / Munster)
17. James Bollard (Dublin University / Leinster)
18. Adam Coyle (Naas / Leinster)
19. Evan Mintern (Cork Con / Munster)
20. Kelvin Brown (Shannon / Munster)
21. Niall Saunders (Harlequins)
22. Brett Connon (Newcastle Falcons)
23. Jimmy O’Brien (UCD / Leinster)

Ireland U20 World Rugby U20 Championship Results / Fixtures
Pool A
Wales 25-26 Ireland
Manchester City Academy Stadium
Tuesday 7th June, 2016

New Zealand 24 – 33 Ireland
Manchester City Academy Stadium
Saturday 11th June, 2016

Ireland 35 – 7 Georgia
Manchester City Academy Stadium
Wednesday 15th June, 2016

Semi-Final
Ireland v Argentina
Manchester City Academy Stadium
Monday 20th June 2016
KO: 17:30

Play-Offs
Manchester City Academy Stadium OR AJ Bell Stadium, Salford
Saturday 25th June 2016

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