Ireland U-18 Schools v France U-18, Plewiska (3.0, Irish time)
Ireland Schools’ coach Noel McNamara has made five changes to the side that beat Georgia 20-10 in their opening fixture for this afternoon’s FIRA U18 European Championships elite section semi-final against France in Poland.
Rockwell’s Sean O’Connor comes in for Peter Claffey in the secondrow while Jonathan Guy (St Andrew’s) replaces the injured Charlie Cregan at openside flanker. Behind the scrum Newbridge’s Jimmy O’Brien is introduced at outhalf with St Michael’s pivot Matthew Gilsenan, sliding out one place to inside centre.
Colm Mulcahy (Clongowes) takes the number 13 jersey with Paul Kiernan (PBC Cork) dropping to the replacements. St Andrew’s Jordan Larmour replaces Calvin Nash on the right wing. The three try-scorers from the win over Georgia, Jacob Stockdale, who managed a brace, Jack Power and Will Connors have all been retained.
France beat Italy 29-7 in their opening fixture. The other semi-final will see England and Wales square off. The two winners from today's matches will face each other in the final while the two beaten sides will compete in a third and fourth place playoff in the eight nation elite division. Those matches take place on Saturday.
IRELAND:
J Power (Blackrock/Leinster); J Larmour (St Andrews/Leinster),C Mulcahy (Clongowes/Leinster), M Gilsenan (St Michaels/Leinster), J Stockdale (Wallace/Ulster); J O'Brien (Newbrodge/Leinster), R Osborne (Clongowes/Leinster); A Porter (St Andrews/Leinster), J Molony (Clongowes/Leinster), C O'Donnell (Summerhill/Connacht); J Ryan (St Michael's/Leinster), S O'Connor (Rockwell/Munster); W Connors (Clongowes/Leinster), J Guy (St Andrews/Leinster), M Deegan (St Michael's/Leinster). Replacements: C McIlmurray (Campbell/Ulster), H Kean (Blackrock/Leinster), C Kenny (Garbally/Connacht), P Claffey (Garbally/Connacht), G Jones (St Andrews/Leinster), D Duggan (St Michael's/Leinster), P Kiernan (PBC Cork/Munster), O O'Meara (St Michael's/Leinster), A McMahon (Rockwell/Munster), C Nash (Crescent/Munster).
