Ireland coach Noel McNamara has made four changes and a positional switch to the team that beat Scotland for Friday night's Under-20 Six Nations Championship match against England at the Ricoh Arena, Coventry (8.0).
James Hume returns to the backline on the right wing with Angus Kernohan swapping sides to accommodate the Banbridge player's inclusion. Props Jordan Duggan and Jack Aungier return to the frontrow, where it's a case of all-change as Lansdowne's Ronan Kelleher misses out with a shoulder injury sustained in the win over the Scots.
Wanderers hooker Eoghan Clarke, a replacement the last day, is promoted to start while Diarmuid Barron has recovered from illness to take his place on the bench. Shannon’s Ronan Coffey is named among the replacements as is Seán O’Brien, a younger brother of former Ireland Under-20 international Conor, who is set to win a first cap.
Ireland trail England and France by three points in the table so they can still win the U-20 Six Nations depending on results, the primary one of which is to beat their hosts.
McNamara said: “It was good to come away with the bonus point win last Friday in Donnybrook, and while there are areas of our game we can improve on, the result has left us in a good place ahead of Friday’s fixture.
“England are always a stiff challenge at this level and it’s set to be a great opportunity for the players, but one I know they are excited for.”
IRELAND UNDER-20: M Silvester (Dublin University); J Hume (Banbridge), T O'Brien (UCD), A Curtis (QUB), A Kernohan (Ballymena); H Byrne (UCD), H O'Sullivan (Clontarf); J Duggan (Naas), E Clarke (Wanderers), J Aungier (St Mary's College); M Dalton (Malone), J Dunne (Dublin University); J Dunleavy (Malone), M Agnew (Ballymena), J O'Sullivan (UCC). Replacements: D Barron (Garryowen), J French (UCC), T O'Toole (Banbridge), R Coffey (Shannon), E Masterson (Corinthians), J Stewart (QUB), C Dean (St Mary's College), S O'Brien (Clontarf).
