Boost for Irish U20s as red card rescinded ahead of Fiji tie

Winger Charlie Molony was harshly given a second yellow for an aerial contest in the 73-22 win over the USA.

BAN OVERTURNED: Charlie Molony has had his red card against the USA rescinded. Pic: Tamuna Kulumbegashvili/Sportsfile.

The Irish U-20 side have received a timely boost as they prepare for their penultimate game at this year’s Junior World Championship with the red card picked up by winger Charlie Molony against the USA being rescinded and he is now clear to play against Fiji on Monday.

The former Blackrock College player, one of just four in the current Irish squad to have featured in the tournament last year, was harshly given a second yellow for an aerial contest in the 73-22 win over the USA.

Commonsense has prevailed and Molony, now with UCD, has been cleared to play by a World Rugby disciplinary committee and head coach Andrew Browne has slotted him in at full-back in a much-changed side to play Fiji on Monday evening (5.30pm Irish time) in Kutaisi.

The winners of that clash will face either Italy or hosts Georgia on Saturday in a battle for ninth place, with Triple Crown winners Ireland destined to finish in the bottom half of the tournament after losing 34-27 to England in their opening game and then going down by 62-40 against Argentina.

Despite the lowly finish it has been a decent tournament for a lot of the Irish squad as they continue their pathway and Browne and his coaching team will be hoping they can finish with three wins before he hands over the reigns to his current Connacht colleague Cullie Tucker, with the Limerick native set to take charge for the next three years.

Browne, having rotated heavily for the USA game, has made eight changes to his starting side. Three of them are in a reshuffled backline with Jack Deegan, who has scored a try in each of the three games to date, renewing his centre partnership with James O’Leary.

Molony switches to fullback with Daniel Green, who converted nine of the eleven tries against the USA, taking over from Charlie O’Shea at out-half and that paves the way for Connacht’s Daniel Ryan, who scored a hat-trick against England, coming back into the starting side.

Up front captain Sam Bishti returns along with Max Doyle, Donnacha McGuire, Josh Neill and Diarmuid O’Connell as Ireland, who have won all three previous games against Fiji in these championships, for their second win in Georgia.

Ireland: C Molony; J O'Sullivan, J Deegan, J O'Leary, D Ryan; D Green, C Barrett; M Doyle, D Maguire, S Bishti; J Finn, D McGuire; J Neill, A Lautsou, D O'Connell.

Replacements: R Handley, A Cooper, B McClean, Seán Walsh (Leinster), C Keane, L Coffey, Seán Walsh (Connacht), H Waters.

Fiji: T Ledua; A Rokosuka, S Taka, F Tuvalu, J Draiva; C Maurice, I Ratu; M Koroi, O Dasalusalu, R Navunikaba; F Peters, S Turagacoke; I Koroinawai, M Tabuakoto, E Roseruvakula.

Replacements: T Gadolo, I Rauluni, S Vakauliafa, A Naevo, S Qabale, S Savenaca, N Lesimaikimatuku, M Nauvasi.