Patrick Campbell handed start as Ireland name team for U20 Six Nations opener

Munster’s Patrick Campbell. Picture: INPHO/Morgan Treacy

Rising Munster star Patrick Campbell has been given a hometown start this Friday in the Ireland team to play Wales in the Under 20 Six Nations opener at Musgrave Park.

The former Nemo Rangers footballer, a member of Cork’s 2019 All-Ireland Minor Championship-winning team, was one of the shining lights for Covid-hit Munster senior side in back-to-back European wins over Wasps and Castres. The 19-year-old from Rochestown will start at full-back for Ireland having been named by head coach Richie Murphy in the matchday squad to face their Welsh counterparts in Cork.

Two other Munster academy members, both products of Ennis RFC and who debuted in the Champions Cup win at Wasps, scrum-half Ethan Coughlan and fly-half Tony Butler, have been named as replacements alongside Highfield back-rower Ronan O’Sullivan.

Back-rower Reuben Crothers will captain the team on the Ireland U20s’ return to Musgrave Park for a first championship game since March 2020.

Crothers is one of four players selected who featured in last year's Six Nations, when the competition was played as a tournament based in Cardiff. Lock Mark Morrissey, prop Jack Boyle and winger Chay Mullins complete the returning quartet.

Campbell starts in an Ireland back three alongside Mullins and his fellow wing Shane Mallon with Fionn Gibbons and Ben Brownlee paired in midfield, outside a half-back pairing of Charlie Tector at 10 and scrum-half Matthew Devine.

Boyle starts in the front row alongside Ulster duo James McCormick and Scott Wilson, while Morrissey is joined in the second row by UCD team-mate Conor O’Tighearnaigh. Crothers starts at openside flanker with fellow Ulsterman James McNabney on the blindside and Leinster's James Culhane at No.8.

"We have been building towards Friday for a number of weeks now and the group have put in a huge amount of work in preparation for the Six Nations,” Murphy said.

"We're excited about the challenges ahead, starting with the visit of Wales to Musgrave Park under Friday Night Lights. The prospect of returning to Cork and playing in front of a big crowd, including family and friends, is a really exciting one for the players and the management team."

IRELAND U20s (v Wales): P Campbell (Young Munster RFC/Munster); C Mullins (Bristol Bears/IQ Rugby), F Gibbons (UCD RFC/Leinster), B Brownlee (Blackrock College/Leinster), S Mallon (UCD RFC/Leinster); C Tector (Lansdowne FC/Leinster), M Devine (Corinthians RFC/Connacht); J Boyle (UCD/Leinster), J McCormick (Ballymena RFC/Ulster), S Wilson (Queen’s University Belfast/Ulster); C O’Tighearnaigh (UCD RFC/Leinster), M Morrissey (UCD RFC/Leinster); J McNabney (Ballymena RFC/Ulster), R Crothers (Ballynahinch RFC/Ulster) - Captain, J Culhane (UCD RFC/Leinster).

Replacements: J Hanlon (Ballynahinch RFC/Ulster), O Michel (Lansdowne FC/Leinster), R McGuire (UCD/Leinster), A McNamee (Malone RFC/Ulster), R O'Sullivan (Highfield RFC/Munster), E Coughlan (Shannon RFC/Munster), T Butler (Garryowen FC/Munster), A King (Clontarf FC/Leinster).