Italy 22 Ireland 21: Munster’s Calvin Nash ran in a couple of tries, but Ireland’s hopes of reaching successive World Rugby U20 Championship finals took a nosedive as Italy pipped them at the death in Georgia.

Ahead of Ireland’s opening game in the World Rugby U20 Championship against Italy tomorrow at the AIA Arena in Kutaisi, Jack Kelly revealed that being released from his original role of team captain has taken some pressure off his shoulders.

Ireland begin their Group B campaign against Italy on May 31.

Nigel Carolan has named his team for Ireland's U20 game with France on Friday.

Irish captain James Ryan expressed his pride in his teammates’ performances at the World Rugby U-20 Championship and will look back on great memories from the event, but was bitterly disappointed to come up short in the final.

Coach Nigel Carolan has urged his men to play the game and not the occasion when they take on England this evening (7pm) in the World Rugby U20 Championship at the AJ Bell Stadium in Greater Manchester.

Nigel Carolan has named an unchanged 23 for tomorrow evening's final.

Former Westmeath minor footballer Conor O’Brien might this week be preparing for a Leinster SFC semi-final showdown with Kildare in Croke Park, but instead it’s the World Rugby U20 Championship final.

Ireland 37 Argentina 7: Irish coach Nigel Carolan says they will treat next Saturday’s World Rugby U-20 Championship final in much the same way as they have approached every other game in the tournament and try not to dwell on the significance of their appearance.

It was an emotional day all round in Manchester on Saturday when Ireland beat New Zealand 33-24 in the World Rugby U20 Championship, but nobody fluctuated as violently through the full gamut of emotions as Irish hooker Adam McBurney.

Ireland 33 New Zealand 24: As winger Malo Tuitama raced in for his second try to cut the gap to six points with as many minutes remaining, up on the press bench we started preparing another hard luck story for Irish rugby against New Zealand.

France 23 Ireland 13