Under-20 Six Nations: Italy v Ireland, Stadio Comunale di Monigo, Friday, 7.45 Irish time – Live on RTÉ 2
Ireland go into the final match of the tournament hoping to avoid another unwanted landmark in this season’s Under-20 Six Nations Championship. Having lost in Musgrave Park for the first time since making it their home, to first England and then France, they travel to Treviso for a potentially tricky fixture.
Ireland have played the Italians on 21 occasions in all tournaments at under-20 level, won 19, drawn one (L’Aquila in 2013) and lost just once, a World Cup game in 2017, but have never suffered a defeat to their hosts in a Six Nations game.
The two sides go into this game with similar records, having both beaten Scotland, and lost their other three games. The Italians had a chance to beat Wales at home but missed a last-minute penalty in a 20-18 defeat. The two countries met in their traditional pre-Christmas friendly, a game Ireland won.
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Irish secondrow Billy Corrigan is the only survivor on the visiting team from last year’s Six Nations contest in Cork. Italy have four in centre Federico Zanandrea and secondrow Tomassi Redondi, who started in that game, and prop Sergio Pelliccioli and number eight Giacomo Milano, who came off the bench. Milano captains this year’s team.
He said: “Ireland are a technically very well prepared and structured team in terms of set-up; they are halfway between England and France. We must not concede easy chances. We can try to break it down like we did against England, studying them well. We could put them in difficulty and make sure we also have some possession and opportunities to show our game. I’m sure we can do well.”
Ireland head coach Neil Doak has gone with largely the same player pool for the entire tournament, rotating players in and out of the starting team, while keeping the matchday 23 broadly similar in personnel. Scrumhalf Chris O’Connor is set to make his debut off the bench.
Injuries to key players like props Alex Usanov, Niall Smyth and Emmet Calvey, secondrow Alan Spicer, backrow Luke Murphy and wing Derry Moloney are a significant factor, but with a view to the summer’s World Championship in Italy there appeared scope to have more of a look outside the primary group of players.
Doak has every right to pursue whatever selection he feels is best and has decided to double down with his choices. He’s certainly supported this group of players. Rotation sees Clark Logan back at scrumhalf, Henry Walker at hooker and David Walsh get a first start in the backrow. O’Connor comes into the squad, while Mikey Yarr and Bobby Power go from the starting team to the bench.
Reshuffling shifts Ciarán Mangan from left wing to centre with Gene O’Leary Kareem heading in the opposite direction, while Walsh’s promotion to the starting team means that Michael Foy swaps the six for the seven jersey.
Foy’s performance against France the last day would sit comfortably alongside the best individual displays at this age-grade over the past few years. The Munster academy prospect, who counts Carrigaline RFC, CBC Cork, UCC and Cork Con as part of his rugby journey, will hopefully bring to bear his considerable talent in shaping a positive outcome in Treviso.
Ireland will need to be clinical and disciplined, traits lacking in previous outings, to get that result.
ITALY: G Pietramala; A Drago, F Zanandrea, E Todaro, M Faissal; P Celi, N Beni; C Brasini, N Michele Corvasce, B Vallesi; M Midena, T Rodondi; A I Miranda, N Casartelli, G Milano (capt).
Replacements: A Caoilo-Serra, S Pelliccioli, N Bolognini, E Opoku-Gyamfi, CA Bianchi, M Bellotto, R Fasti, R Ioannucci.
IRELAND: D Green (QUB); C Molony (UCD), C Mangan (Blackrock), E Smyth (Cork Constitution), G O’Leary Kareem (UCC); T Wood (Garryowen), C Logan (QUB); B Bohan (Corinthians), H Walker (QUB), A Mullan (Blackrock College); M Ronan (Old Wesley), B Corrigan (Old Wesley); D Walsh (Terenure), M Foy (UCC), É McCarthy (Galwegians, capt).
Replacements: P Moore (Blackrock College), M Yarr (Lansdowne), T McAllister (Ballynahinch), C Kennelly (Highfield), B Power (Galwegians), C O’Connor (Terenure), S Wisniewski (Old Belvedere), C Fahy (Clontarf).
Referee: K Furuse (Japan).
