Five Munster rugby players in the Ireland team for opening game at World U20 Championship

A NUMBER of rising stars of Limerick rugby have been named in the Ireland team for Saturday’s opening match of the U20 World Rugby Championship.

The round one tie against Italy takes place in Cape Town with kick-off 3.30pm Irish time for the Irish side led by head coach Willie Faloon.

Munster have seven players in the 23-man squad, with Ben O’Connor, Danny Sheahan, Evan O’Connell, Sean Edogbo, Luke Murphy all starting, and Emmet Calvey and Jake O’Riordan among the replacements.

Limerick’s Evan O’Connell, UL Bohemian, will captain the team at the DHL Stadium in a match can be watched for free live on RugbyPass TV.

Ben O’Connor, Davy Colbert and Hugo McLaughlin are named in Ireland’s back three, with Finn Treacy and Sam Berman in midfield and Jack Murphy and Oliver Coffey continuing their half-back partnership from the U20 Six Nations.

In the pack, Jacob Boyd, Danny Sheahan and Patreece Bell make up the front row, with Alan Spicer joining captain O’Connell in the engine room.

Sean Edogbo is selected at blindside flanker, with Connacht’s Max Flynn set to make his U20s debut at openside and Shannon’s Luke Murphy completing the starting XV at number eight.

Head coach Faloon has strong options on the bench, with Shannon’s Emmet Calvey, Stephen Smyth, Andrew Sparrow, James McKillop and Bryn Ward providing the replacements up front, while UL Bohemian scrum-half Jake O’Riordan is in line for his U20s debut should he come off the bench. Backs Sean Naughton and Hugh Gavin complete Ireland’s squad.

Ireland Men’s U20s (v Italy):
15. Ben O’Connor (UCC RFC/Munster)
14. Davy Colbert (Dublin University FC/Leinster)
13. Finn Treacy (Galwegians RFC/Connacht)
12. Sam Berman (Terenure College RFC/Leinster)
11. Hugo McLaughlin (Lansdowne FC/Leinster)
10. Jack Murphy (Clontarf FC/Leinster)
9. Oliver Coffey (Blackrock College RFC/Leinster)

1. Jacob Boyd (Queen’s University Belfast RFC/Ulster)
2. Danny Sheahan (Cork Constitution FC/Munster)
3. Patreece Bell (Sale Sharks/IQ Rugby)
4. Alan Spicer (UCD RFC/Leinster)
5. Evan O’Connell (UL Bohemian RFC/Munster)
6. Sean Edogbo (UCC RFC/Munster)
7. Max Flynn (Galway Corinthians RFC/Connacht)
8. Luke Murphy (Shannon RFC/Munster)

Replacements:

16. Stephen Smyth (Old Wesley RFC/Leinster)
17. Emmet Calvey (Shannon RFC/Munster)
18. Andrew Sparrow (UCD RFC/Leinster)
19. James McKillop (Queen’s University Belfast RFC/Ulster)
20. Bryn Ward (Ballynahinch RFC/Ulster)
21. Jake O’Riordan (UL Bohemian RFC/Munster)
22. Sean Naughton (Galway Corinthians RFC/Connacht)
23. Hugh Gavin (Galwegians RFC/Connacht).