Wholesale changes as Ireland U20s seek first win against USA 

Ireland's Ben Blaney takes over as captain. Pic: ©INPHO/Levan Verdzeuli

A first ever meeting at the U-20 Junior World Championship for Ireland against the USA will give Andrew Browne’s charges the opportunity to pick up their first win at this year’s tournament in Georgia when they clash in Tbilisi on Tuesday morning (10am Irish time).

Both these sides come into this final pool clash with demoralising defeats under their belt with both Ireland and the USA each scoring 40 points last Thursday and still ended up suffering heavy losses.

Ireland went down by 62-40 to Argentina, having lost their opening game 34-27 to England.

The USA, who have lost all 12 games they have played in the Junior World Championship, were beaten 68-40 by England, having lost their opening match 78-14 to Argentina.

Ireland, who are playing for positions in the lower part of the competition where they will have two more games, have made 11 changes as Browne and his management give other players an opportunity to play.

Winger Charlie Molony, scrumhalf Christopher Barrett, lock Joe Finn and flanker Alex Lautsou are the only players retained from that which started against Argentina on Thursday.

Terenure College product Ben Blaney takes over the captaincy from his Leinster teammate Sami Bishti.

Ireland have not lost all three pool games since 2018 when it took victory over Japan in the final day of the tournament to prevent relegation.

Browne, who led Ireland to the Triple Crown and the runners-up spot in the Six Nations earlier this year when they recovered from a heavy loss to France to win their remaining four games, will be hoping they can stave off any relegation concerns by defeating the USA.

Ireland U-20 (v USA): D Green (Ulster); C Molony (Leinster), R Carney (Munster), Seán Walsh (Connacht), J O'Sullivan (Leinster); C O'Shea (Munster), C Barrett (Munster); A Cooper (Connacht), D Maguire (Leinster), B McClean (Ulster); Seán Walsh (Leinster), J Finn (Munster); C Keane (Connacht), B Blaney (Leinster, capt), A Lautsou (Munster). Replacements: L McLaughlin (Leinster), M Doyle (Leinster), J Conway (Munster), P Woods (Ulster), D O'Connell (Connacht), L Coffey (Leinster), J Deegan (Leinster), D Ryan (Connacht).

USA: B Miller; S Ofa, W Darbishire, L Keester-Venables, F Love; D Cadden, J Sarkees; C Donnelly, A Stewart, T Trower; L Bailey, K Talaepa; L Hill, Y Efthymiopoulos, F Finicle. Replacements: S Kafovalu, S Troupe, Q Nguyen, P Kelly, H Cluff, S Huntley, D Mitchell, J Firebrace.