PBC’s O’Driscoll ready to answer Ireland’s call

ANDREW O’DRISCOLL is the sole schools representative in Ireland’s U-19 team to play Wales at Stradbrook today (1pm).

The PBC hooker is named in a strong side featuring outstanding young back row forward David Pollock, now in Queens University.

It is a team festooned with quality players from third level teams - amongst them Michael Skelton (UL Bohemian). Queens and UCD provide four representatives each.

Victory for Wales will win the Triple Crown, having beaten England and Scotland, while Ireland make a first appearance.

Wales head coach Justin Burnell makes three changes to the team that beat Scotland 48-10, having kicked off their Triple Crown bid with a 13-10 win over England.

The team will be aiming to make it four wins on the bounce following their 27-7 victory over Australia - the young Wallabies’ first test defeat on Welsh soil - and the Six Nations wins.

Dragons centre Gareth Maule and front rows Nicholas Eaves (Blues) and Marc Breeze (Ospreys) start against the Irish, Burnell stating: “We have got great competition in the midfield and front row and with these changes we are just taking maximum advantage of the strength of our squad.”

Meanwhile, the Irish Colleges meet Wales at Anglesea Road today (2pm) and there are 11 Munster players in the 22-man squad.

See Results section for teams.