The party will be whittled down to 28 before departure for Santa Fe, via Amsterdam and Buenos Aires. Ireland face England, Australia and Italy in their pool: a tough task.

The New Zealand Under-20s avenged last year's World Rugby U-20 Championship defeat to Ireland in emphatic style by romping to an eleven-try 69-3 victory in sweltering Kutaisi.

Ireland U20 head coach Peter Malone is looking forward to having another crack at New Zealand as he prepares to bring his side into battle for this summer’s World Rugby U20 Championships in Georgia, writes Daire Walsh.

Tomas Quinlan was out with his girlfriend last Wednesday when the call came; within a day he was in the air heading for Italy and the World Rugby U20 Championships, and within a week he was floating on cloud nine.