Had things gone differently, then former Limerick minor hurler Stephen Fitzgerald might be preparing for a big one in the Gaelic Grounds instead of being part of an Irish squad bidding for glory at the World Rugby U20 Championship in Italy.

A winner-take-all clash with New Zealand is Ireland’s prize for Saturday’s four-point victory (24-20) over Scotland in Saturday’s World Rugby U20 Championship Pool game in Calvisano.

Ireland coach Nigel Carolan has been forced to make a late change ahead of their opening game in the World Rugby U-20 Championship against Argentina in Parma today.

Nigel Carolan may be in charge of the Irish U20s at a world championship for the first time but the Galwayman has been involved with enough underage national sides to know they face a tough test against Argentina today, 3.30pm (live on TG4).

Munster A 41 Ulster Ravens 27: Kiwi outhalf Tyler Bleyendaal made his long-awaited Munster debut for the province’s second string during a 41-27 victory against the Ulster Ravens at Naas yesterday.

Nigel Carolan has asked his Irish U20 side to finish their campaign positively in Netherdale tonight by returning to the full-throttle game which has been suffocated by two defeats in a row.

The Grand Slam hopes are already dashed, but the Ireland Under-20s can still take a step towards lifting the Six Nations title when they take on Wales at Parc Eirias tonight (7.45 pm).

Ireland U20 coach Nigel Carolan still believes ‘the championship is there for the taking’ ahead of tomorrow night’s crucial RBS 6 Nations clash with Wales (Parc Eirias, Colwyn Bay, 7.45pm).

One imagines Nigel Carolan and the rest of his U20s management team have spent many an hour poring over footage of England’s opening Six Nations loss to Wales in Colwyn Bay this last two weeks.

No defeats. No injuries. No changes. Ireland U20s coach Nigel Carolan finds himself in quite the enviable position.

U20 RBS Six Nations

Ireland U20 Six Nations: Ireland’s U20s did all that was expected of them, and maybe more, in beating Italy 47-15 seven days ago but a truer reflection of their collective worth lies in store tonight as they host Fabien Pelous’ French side at Dubarry Park in Athlone (7.05pm).

Ireland’s U20s and Women’s: Both teams enjoyed ultimately comfortable openings to their respective Six Nations campaigns last Friday.

Under 20 Six Nations: Italy 15 Ireland 47: Nigel Carolan’s reign as Ireland U-20 coach got off to a perfect start in dreadful conditions in northern Italy last night as seven different players scored tries.

Ireland U20 preview: Expectations aren’t confined to Joe Schmidt’s Ireland side this next two months.

Irish rugby was relatively slow to cotton onto the benefits accrued from assimilating players with southern hemisphere backgrounds into the national team, but that process has belatedly taken hold in recent years.

More misery for Munster with the selection of just four of their players on Nigel Carolan’s expanded Ireland squad of 30 for the U20 Six Nations.

Fly-half Sean O’Hagan weaved his magic as Connacht picked up their first win of the U20 inter-provincial championship when they staged a second-half comeback to account for Ulster at the Sportsground yesterday (27-25).