Rugby: Irish u-19s head for FIRA World Cup

The Irish Under 19 rugby squad will depart for Italy on St Patrick's Day to compete in the FIRA World Cup.

Their first game is against Italy on Thursday March 21.

The first-round matches in Group A, to be played on Thursday, 21st March, are:

New Zealand v Korea,

Ireland v Italy,

South Africa v Chile,

England v Romania,

Wales v Georgia,

Argentina v Japan,

Uruguay v Scotland,

France v Russia.

The subsequent rounds in Group A are to be played on Sunday March 24, Wednesday March 27 and Saturday March 30.

The finalists will come from the teams in the top four matches on the one hand and the teams in the

bottom four matches on the other.

The first-round matches in Group B are to be played on Wednesday March 20, are:

Canada v Moldavia,

Germany v Portugal

Ukraine v Taiwan,

USA v Holland,

Poland v Namibia,

Lithuania v Paraguay,

Morocco v Tunisia,

Spain v Trinidad Tobago.

The Irish squad and management is as follows:

Stephen Bennett (Lon Irish), Stephen Bradshaw (Garryowen), Killian Coleman (Terenure), Andrew Finn (Sundays Well), Declan Fitzpatrick (Belfast Harlequins), Denis Fogarty (Rockwell), David Gannon (UCD), Fergus Gately (UCC), Conor Geoghegan (UCC), Daragh Geraghty (UCD), Michael Glancy (Dungannon), Ryan Hartigan (UL Bohemians), Brian Hastings (Trinity), Jamie Heaslip (Trinity), John Hill (London Wasps), Edward Hoadley (London Irish), Richard Lane (UCC), Andy Lowe (Belfast Harlequins), Peter McMahon (Lansdowne), Wesley Maxwell (Garryowen), Brendan O'Connor (Garryowen), Shane O'Connor (Cork Constitution), Neil Patterson (Coleraine), Aidan Rees

(Highfield), Robbie Shaw (London Wasps), Richard Simms (Edinburgh Uni).

Willie Anderson (Coach), Hendrik Kruger (Assistant Coach), Mark McDermott (National Development Manager), Dr Bill Mulcahy (Team Doctor), Maeve Mitchell (Physio), Noelle Gallagher (Physio), Phillip Morrow and Johnny O'Hagen (Baggage Master).