John McKee, who captained Campbell College to an Ulster Schools Senior Cup win in March but is now part of the Leinster sub academy, will lead Ireland against Australia in an Under-19 international at Donnybrook on Saturday (2.0pm). The hooker plays his club rugby for Old Belvedere.
The team includes schoolboy sprint sensation Aaron Sexton, winner of the 100 and 200 metres at the All Ireland Track & Field Schools Championships earlier this year while also making his Ulster senior rugby debut against Gloucester in a pre-season friendly.
There are two players that have come through the Irish Qualified (IQ) system in England, Harlequins centre Hayden Hyde and flanker Ciaran Booth of Sale Sharks.
The team is coached by Tom Tierney with Mark Butler and Colm Tucker as his assistants.
Ireland: O McNulty (Galwegians/Connacht); A Smith (St Michael's College/Leinster). H Hyde (Cranleigh School/Harlequins/), T Downes (Galwegians/Munster), A Sexton (Bangor Grammar/Ulster); J Delaney (Crescent College/Munster), C O'Doherty (Newcastle West/Munster); H Noonan (Old Wesley/Leinster), J McKee (Old Belvedere/Leinster, capt), C Ward (Clontarf/Leinster); C McMenamin (City of Derry/Ulster), P Kelly (Young Munster/Munster); C Prendergast (Newbridge College/Leinster), C Booth (Sale Sharks), D McCann (Banbridge/Ulster). Replacements: S Buckley (CBC Cork/Munster), A Hennessy (UL/Munster), L Winnett (Buccaneers/Connacht), B Deeney (Clontarf/Leinster), S O'Brien (Blackrock College/Leinster), L Finlay (Ballynahinch/Ulster), D Prendergast (Ballina/Connacht), L Bruce (PBC/Munster)
