IRELAND under 20 Head Coach Nigel Carolan has named his starting XV for Friday’s clash with Italy at Stadio Pozzi Lamarmora.
Carolan, who continues to play a central role developing players with Connacht, expects a physical battle. “Any time you play an Italian side it's a fight, but it's something players will need to adapt to.
"To play the opening game away from home is always a challenge, but we are focused and are looking forward to kicking off”.
Ireland Women’s Coach Tom Tierney has included six uncapped players in his squad for Friday night’s clash with Italy in Florence.
Hannah Tyrell will make her debut on the wing while Sarah Mimnagh, Fiona O'Brien, Katie Norris, Katie Fitzhenry, and Sene Naoupu have been named as replacements.
Tierney believes there is a good mix of youth and experience. "There is a natural changeover with the number of players retiring after last season, but there is a core group of senior players that are very experienced and talented. We also have a number of younger players who are very talented and have a lot of promise so it's a good mix”
"It's going to be a very tough game over in Italy, we are under no illusions, but we are going over there very confident that we will be competitive”
Ireland under 20: B Dardis (Leinster); G O’Shea (Munster), G Ringrose (Leinster), F Cleary (Leinster), J Owens (Ulster); R Byrne (Leinster), N McCarthy (Leinster); J Loughman (Leinster), Z McCall (Ulster), O Heffernan (Leinster), D O’Connor (Leinster), A Thompson (Ulster), J Murphy (Leinster), R Moloney (Connacht), L Dow (Ulster).
Replacements: A McBurney (Ulster), M Lagan (Ulster), C O’Donnell (Connacht), C Romaine (Connacht), N Timoney (Leinster), J Cullen (Munster), J Carbery (Leinster), S Arnold (Ulster).
Ireland Women’s: N Briggs (Munster); H Tyrell (Leinster), J Murphy (Leinster), J Shiels (Exiles), A Miller (Connacht); N Stapleton (Leinster), L Muldoon (Skewen); R O’Reilly (Connacht), G Bourke (Olympico de Pozuelo), A Egan (Leinster), ML Reilly (Leinster), S Spence (Leinster), P Fitzpatrick (Leinster), C Molloy (Connacht), H O’Brien (Munster).
Replacements: S Mimnagh (Exiles), F Hayes (Munster), F O’Brien (Leinster), O Fitzsimons (Leinster), K Norris (Leinster), T Rosser (Leinster), K Fitzhenry (Leinster), S Naoupu (Connacht).
