Ireland looking for second win in U20 Six Nations campaign against Italy

LAST GAME: Ireland go to Italy looking for their second win in this years competition. Pic: ©INPHO/Ben Brady

Ireland will attempt to avoid their worst ever U20 Six Nations campaign when they take on Italy in their final game of this season’s competition in Treviso this Friday evening (7.45pm Irish time).

Ireland have never lost four games in the competition since it changed from U21 to U20 in 2008 but after twice winning Grand Slams in the past three years, they face an inglorious finish to the first campaign with Neil Doak in charge if they fail to oust the Italians.

Italy have also won just once this season and come into this tie on the back of a heavy defeat away to France and a 33-24 defeat in England last weekend.

They won their opening game in Scotland and were pipped at home by Wales in their only other home match and they will be fired up to take the Irish scalp ahead of hosting the U20 World Championships in Treviso this summer.

Doak, whose campaign has been hampered by injuries, particularly up front, has made just three changes to the side which was easily turned over by France last weekend in Cork far more convincingly than the eventual 22-12 scoreline.

Tom Wood, who made his first start last weekend, continues at out-half where he will this time be partnered by Ulster’s Clark Logan who comes in for Will Wooton.

Ulster’s Henry Walker comes in at hooker for Leinster’s Mikey Yarr, while the third change sees Leinster’s David Walsh takes over from Connacht’s Bobby Power in a back row where UCC’s Michael Foy has been Ireland’s player of the tournament.

There is a positional change in the three-quarters where Ciarán Mangan moves from the left wing to partner Eoghan Smyth in the centre, with Munster’s Gene O'Leary Kareem moving to wing.

IRELAND: D Green; C Molony; C Mangan, E Smyth, G O’Leary Kareem; T Wood, C Logan; B Bohan, H Walker, A Mullan; M Ronan, B Corrigan; D Walsh, M Foy, É McCarthy (Capt.) 

Replacements: M Yarr, P Moore, T McAllister, C Kennelly, B Power, C O’Connor, S Wisniewski, C Fahy.