Richie Murphy reshuffles U20s pack for visit to 'hostile' Bath

Ireland's Danny Sheahan signs autographs for fans after the win over Italy. Pic: ©INPHO/Ben Brady

Ireland Under-20s boss Richie Murphy has switched up his forwards for tomorrow night’s visit to Six Nations table-toppers England and a collision with a powerhouse pack in Bath.

With both teams boasting winning starts from their first three rounds, this meeting at the Recreation Ground represents another tough assignment for the back-to-back Grand Slam winners, who will once again be captained by Munster academy lock Evan O’Connell.

While head coach Murphy has left the Ireland backline intact from the 43-8 hammering of Wales in Cork last time out on February 23, he has made four changes and one positional switch to the forwards, with an all-new front row of Alex Usanov, hooker Danny Sheahan and tighthead prop Jacob Boyd set to start in Bath as the starting trio from the Welsh game revert to the replacements.

Joe Hopes, captain O’Connell’s second-row partner from that Virgin Media Park game, moves into the back row to replace blindside flanker Sean Edogbo, a try scorer against both Italy and Wales, as Alan Spicer returns to reunited with O’Connell at lock.

England, meanwhile have recalled heavyweight locks Olamide Sodeke of Saracens and Racing 92’s Junior Kpoku. Ireland assistant coach Willie Fallon said of the English tight-five forwards: “We’re under no illusions they’re very strong in that area, and the couple of second rows coming back in will give them a good bit of weight but they’re a quality outfit so we know there’s a big challenge coming there.” 

Edogbo moves onto the bench to bring some power in reserve alongside the front-rowers Henry Walker, Ben Howard, and Patreece Bell and second-row Billy Corrigan, with backline cover provided by Tadhg Brophy, Sean Naughton and Davy Colbert.

Unlike their senior counterparts, England’s U20s are coming off a successful trip north of the border in round three when they beat Scotland 30-17 and are once again captained by centre Finn Carnduff, their third consecutive try bonus point giving them a one-point lead at the top of the table ahead of Ireland, with 14 points from a possible 15.

Fallon is also expecting the Rec, home of Johann van Graan’s Premiership high-flyers Bath, to play its part in proceedings tomorrow night.

“We’re totally aware of it as a real old-school rugby ground. It’s an exciting place to go and we know England will have massive support and it will be hostile. That’s an exciting challenge and the guys know the challenges as well. It’s an exciting place to go and play.” 

ENGLAND U20: B Redshaw (Newcastle Falcons); T Cousins (Northampton Saints), B Waghorn (Harlequins), S Kerr (Harlequins), A Wills (Sale Sharks); J Bellamy (Harlequins), A McParland (Northampton Saints); A Opoku-Fordjour (Sale Sharks), J Oliver (Newcastle Falcons, B Sela (Bath); O Sodeke (Saracens), J Kpoku (Racing 92); F Carnduff - captain (Leicester Tigers), H Pollock (Northampton Saints), N Michelow (Saracens).

Replacements: J Isaacs (Saracens), S Kirk (Bath), J Halliwell (Bristol Bears), Z Carr (Harlequins), K James (Exeter Chiefs), B Douglas (Newcastle Falcons), G Makepeace-Cubitt (Rams RFC), O Spencer (Newcastle Falcons).

IRELAND U20: B O'Connor (UCC RFC/Munster); F Treacy (Galwegians RFC/Connacht), W de Klerk (UCD RFC/Leinster), H Gavin (Galwegians RFC/Connacht), H McLaughlin (Lansdowne FC/Leinster); J Murphy (Clontarf FC/Leinster), O Coffey (Blackrock College RFC/Leinster); A Usanov (Clontarf FC/Leinster), D Sheahan (Cork Constitution FC/Munster), J Boyd (Queen's University Belfast RFC/Ulster); A Spicer (UCD RFC, Leinster), E O'Connell (UL Bohemian RFC/Munster) – captain; J Hopes (Queen's University Belfast RFC/Ulster), B Ward (Ballynahinch RFC/Ulster), L Murphy (Shannon RFC/Munster).

Replacements: H Walker (Queen's University Belfast RFC/Ulster), B Howard (Terenure College RFC/Leinster), P Bell (Sale Sharks/IQ Rugby), B Corrigan (Old Wesley RFC/Leinster), S Edogbo (UCC RFC/Munster), T Brophy (Naas RFC/Leinster), S Naughton (Galway Corinthians RFC/Connacht), D Colbert (Dublin University FC/Leinster)