Ireland U20s braced for tough assignment in France
Head coach Murphy makes four alterations to team that beat Wales for the trip to Aix-en-Provence
U20 Six Nations Championship: Ireland v France
The Ireland U20s will be seeking to build further momentum in the Six Nations Championship when they face France at Stade Maurice David in Aix-en-Provence this evening (kick-off 8pm Irish time).
This will be the first away Six Nations encounter for Ireland against Les Bleus at this age grade in more than four years with their proposed 2020 meeting in Perpignan having been postponed and eventually cancelled due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
Richie Murphy’s men lost out agonisingly to France at the neutral venue of Cardiff Arms Park during last year’s competition and will be desperate to avoid a repeat result on this occasion.
Speaking earlier in the week, Ireland forwards coach Jimmy Duffy acknowledged they will have to be mentally prepared to take on a French outfit that comfortably defeated Italy 41-15 in the opening round of the championship.
“Obviously in France you are going to have the band playing. It’s attritional rugby, especially down there and they’re a proud nation. I think we have to feed off our own energy, we have to create our own buzz around the tempo of the game we’re playing.”
Although Patrick Campbell has recovered from the dead leg he suffered in the comprehensive 53-5 triumph over Wales at Musgrave Park last Friday to start at fullback, head coach Murphy has made four alterations for the trip to Aix-en-Provence.
Ethan Coughlan, a senior debutant for Munster in their Heineken Champions Cup win at the expense of Wasps in December, deputises for Matthew Devine at scrumhalf.
Aitzol King and Daniel Hawkshaw (whose brother David was Ireland U20s captain for the Grand Slam success of 2019) are drafted into the back line in place of Chay Mullins and Fionn Gibbons respectively, while Rory McGuire takes over from Scott Wilson at tighthead prop.
IRELAND: P Campbell; A King, B Brownlee, D Hawkshaw, S Mallon; C Tector, E Coughlan; J Boyle, J McCormick, R McGuire; C O’Tighearnaigh, M Morrissey; J McNabney, R Crothers, J Culhane.
Replacements: J Hanlon, O Michel, D McSweeney, A McNamee, C Moloney, M Devine, T Butler, D O’Grady.
FRANCE: M Auriac; J Joseph, E Gailleton, L Le Brun, E Reybier; L Foursans, B Jauneau; M Perchaud, V Montgaillard, R Bellemand; S M’Foudi, M Uhila; L Banos, E Capilla, M Suta.
Replacements: L Martin, L Penverne, V Simutoga, R Portat, N Della Schiava, J Coulon, A Eymeri, E Randle.