Nigel Carolan has made five changes to his Ireland U20’s side for Monday’s fifth place playoff against Wales at the Junior World Championship.
Captain Nick McCarthy has been ruled out due to injury with Charlie Rock replacing him while Ciaran Gaffney returns to the starting XV at full-back with Billy Dardis the man making way.
The other personnel change in the backline sees Stephen Fitzgerald come in for Jack Owens on the wing.
Sean McNulty starts at hooker while there is a new back-row combination of Conor Oliver and Nick Timoney .
Victory in Viadana for Ireland would see them qualify for the fifth place playoff final against either Australia or Scotland.
Ireland U20s (v Wales: 14 June, KO 1930)
15. Ciaran Gaffney (Galwegians/ Connacht)
14. Stephen Fitzgerald (Shannon/ Munster)
13. Garry Ringrose (UCD/Leinster)
12. Sam Arnold (Ballynahinch/Ulster)
11. Jacob Stockdale (Queen’s University Belfast/Ulster)
10. Joey Carbery (UCD/Leinster)
9. Charlie Rock (Old Beveldere/ Leinster)
1. Andrew Porter (UCD/Leinster)
2. Sean McNulty (UCD/Leinster)
3. Oisin Heffernan (Terenure College/Leinster)
4. David O’Connor (St. Mary’s /Leinster)
5. Alex Thompson (Queen’s University Belfast/Ulster)
6. Josh Murphy (UCD/Leinster) (Capt)
7. Conor Oliver (St. Mary’s/ Leinster)
8. Nick Timoney (St. Marys/ Leinster)
Replacements
16. Adam McBurney (Ballymena/Ulster)
17. Liam O’Connor (Cork Constitution /Munster)
18. Conan O’Donnell (Sligo/NUIG/Connacht)
19. Lorcan Dow (Queen’s University Belfast/Ulster)
20. Rory Moloney (Buccaneers/ Connacht)
21. Thomas Quinlan (Cork Constitution/ Munster)
22. Fergal Cleary (Lansdowne/ Leinster)
23. Jack Owens (Queen’s University Belfast/Ulster)
