Ireland’s U20s rugby team has officially confirmed its roster for the upcoming World Rugby U20 Championship semi-final match against England. The team has undergone several adjustments from the previous XV, notably due to the absence of captain Evan O’Connell, who has been sidelined due to injury.
The team has solidified three changes to the previous match’s XV, taking into account the cancellation of the game against Australia. Prop selection has been a consistent challenge for the Irish team, and the upcoming match will see Ben Howard and Jacob Boyd taking their positions in the front row. Furthermore, Sean Edogbo has been elevated to the blindside role, resulting in a positional reshuffle within the team.
The backline remains unchanged, apart from one substitution on the bench, with Sam Berman being named as the 23rd player. Facing England after a 10-day hiatus due to the cancellation of their final Pool B match against the Junior Wallabies, the Irish team is gearing up for the highly anticipated encounter.
Conversely, England has had to make alterations to their semi-final XV due to injuries sustained in their previous match against South Africa. The match is eagerly anticipated by fans and promises to be a thrilling encounter.
Here is the finalised line-up for the Ireland U20s team for the upcoming match against England:
15. Ben O’Connor (UCC RFC/Munster)
14. Finn Treacy (Galwegians RFC/Connacht)
13. Wilhelm de Klerk (UCD RFC/Leinster)
12. Hugh Gavin (Galwegians RFC/Connacht)
11. Hugo McLaughlin (Lansdowne FC/Leinster)
10. Jack Murphy (Clontarf FC/Leinster)
9. Oliver Coffey (Blackrock College RFC/Leinster)
1. Ben Howard (Terenure College RFC/Leinster)
2. Danny Sheahan (Cork Constitution FC/Munster)
3. Jacob Boyd (Queen’s University Belfast RFC/Ulster)
4. Alan Spicer (UCD RFC/Leinster)
5. James McKillop (Queen’s University Belfast RFC/Ulster)
6. Sean Edogbo (UCC RFC/Munster)
7. Bryn Ward (Ballynahinch RFC/Ulster)
8. Brian Gleeson (Garryowen FC/Munster) (captain)
Replacements:
16. Stephen Smyth (Old Wesley RFC/Leinster)
17. Emmet Calvey (Shannon RFC/Munster)
18. Patreece Bell (Sale Sharks/IQ Rugby)
19. Billy Corrigan (Old Wesley RFC/Leinster)
20. Luke Murphy (Shannon RFC/Munster)
21. Tadhg Brophy (Naas RFC/Leinster)
22. Sean Naughton (Galway Corinthians RFC/Connacht)
23. Sam Berman (Terenure College RFC/Leinster)
Fans can tune into the live coverage of the 2024 World Rugby U20 Championship matches on RugbyPass TV for free. This provides an exciting viewing experience for rugby enthusiasts in countries without an exclusive local host broadcaster deal.