Sport

Under-19 clash has World Cup import

Next month Ireland meet England in the first match of the IRB Under-19 World Cup in Dubai

Thu Mar 16 2006 - 00:00

Next month Ireland meet England in the first match of the IRB Under-19 World Cup in Dubai. That alone should colour tomorrow's meeting between the two sides in the last match of the Six Nations campaign. It is also likely to be the last competitive fixture for the Irish before flying out to the tournament.

The World Cup, which is being staged in the Middle East for the first time, will feature 24 teams in two tiers and run from April 4th to 21st.

It will operate on a pool system, with Ireland initially facing England, France and Samoa. Sky Sports will show 10 matches live, including Ireland's match against England.

One major concern for Northern Hemisphere teams is the heat, which could reach 35 Celsius.

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Hopes of victory in the Stoop tomorrow are tempered by the absence of first-choice players such as Blackrock's Luke Fitzgerald, with Schools Senior Cup finals being played in Munster, Ulster and Leinster.

Under-21 coach Mark McDermott has made three changes to the side that lost to Scotland. His team face England tomorrow in Worcester hoping to improve; their only win from the last four outings was that against Italy.

Garryowen's Conan Doyle moves from the replacements to take over at outhalf from Jonathon Sexton, who is on the bench. At scrumhalf Duncan Williams gets his first start of the campaign, Paul Marshall taking the bench.

David McGowan starts in the secondrow for the first time as Daniel Touhy is ruled with a knee injury. McGowan's place on the bench is taken by Michael Essex.

There has been one late change to the Ireland A team to play England tomorrow in Gloucester. Centre David Quinlan has flu, so Leinster's Kieran Lewis moves in from outside centre to take Quinlan's place, with Gavin Duffy coming off the bench to start at 13.

Ulster fullback Bryn Cunningham takes the vacant spot in the replacements.

IRELAND UNDER-21 (v England): F Carr (Blackrock); P Durcan (Galwegians), D Cave (Belfast Harlequins), F McFadden (UCD) M Williams (Hartpury College); C Doyle (Garryowen), D Williams (UCC); C Black (Hartpury), S Philpott (Belfast Harlequins, capt), P Doran-Jones (DU); D McGowan (Buccaneers), D Toner (Lansdowne); R Noonan (UCC), E Uzoigwe (Hartpury), S O'Brien (UCD). Replacements: S Cronin (Shannon); D Hurley (UCC); B Holland (UCC); M Essex (UCC); P Marshall (Ballynahinch); J Sexton (St Mary's); T Gleeson (Cork Con).

IRELAND UNDER-19 (v England): S Carey (Garbally); S Monahan (DU), I Dineen (CBC Cork), I Keatley (UCD), M Barker (Queen's); B Collins (Castleknock), P O'Donohoe (Belvedere Coll); C Healy (Belvedere Coll), D Gilchrist (UCD), J Gethings (Gonzaga); T Anderson (Queen's), C McInerney (UCD); T O'Donnell (UL Bohs), D Pollock (Queen's, capt), K Sheahan (UCD). Replacements: S Verso (Blackrock), D Millard (Harlequins), R Sweeney (UCD), A Browne (Galwegians), D Drake (Instonians), N O'Connor (Limavady GS), I Whitten (Queen's), J Graham (Ballynahinch).