Ireland U-18 team to play Italy named

Ireland U-18 Schools coach Peter Melia has made sweeping changes to his team ahead of their final outing against Italy tomorrow in the U-18 Six Nations Festival.

Overall there are nine personnel changes to the team and four of these are to the backline with Gavin Nugent, Craig O’Hanlon, James McKinney and Jason Bloomfield all named in the starting XV. Luke Marshall, who played at outhallf in the opening two games, moves into the centre with Michael Allen, who started on the left wing in the last game against Scotland. Diarmuid McCarthy also retains his spot on the right wing from that Scotland game.