Two changes as Ireland U-20s gear up for World Championship showdown with Italy
Scrum-half Will Wootton and tighthead prop Alex Usanov have been drafted into the line-up for the must-win fixture at Stadio Luigi Zaffanella, with Clark Logan and Billy Bohan dropping to the bench.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Irish Independent
30 minutes ago
- Irish Independent
Ireland captain Éanna McCarthy warns ahead of U-20 clash: ‘Italy are going to bring a different challenge'
First ever Six Nations loss to Italians in Treviso in March still weighs heavily on Irish minds Ireland captain Éanna McCarthy is wary of the task facing Neil Doak's side in Viadana today when they take on hosts Italy in the second round of the World Rugby U-20 Championship (6.30pm). Italy scored a first U-20 Six Nations victory over Ireland in March, when they won 15-12 in Treviso, and McCarthy said while they were boosted by their 35-28 opening-round win over Georgia, he knows this will be a bigger test.
Irish Examiner
5 hours ago
- Irish Examiner
Last kick heartbreak as Ireland fall to Italy in World U20 Championship
World Rugby U20 Championship: Italy 18 Ireland 16 There was heartbreak for Ireland at the World Rugby U20 Championship when a conversion with the last kick of the game was missed by replacement Sam Wisniewski as Neil Doak's men fell to defeat at Stadio Luigi Zaffanella in Viadana. Replacement flanker Oisin Minogue got over for a try with the clock in the red but Wisniewski was unable to land the kick from the right as Italy backed up their Six Nations win over Ireland with another success. It leaves Ireland needing to defeat New Zealand in their third and final game next Wednesday but they could have few complaints about the outcome of this one in a poor game in northern Italy. In the earlier game in the pool New Zealand, 14-5 winners over Italy in the opening game, ousted a Georgia side 38-19 that Ireland defeated 35-28 last weekend. There was a pre-match seback for Ireland when flanker Michael Foy was injured in the warm-up and had to withdraw and the UCC clubman was replaced by Galwegians' Bobby Power. Ireland did well to defend early Italian pressure but they could do little to stop Italian No.8 Nelson Casartelli after 12 minutes when he scored off a drive following a penalty to the left corner. Ireland hit back in the evening 33 degrees Celsius heat but their first two forays into Italian territory ended with lock Piero Gritti, a son of former Italian international Andrea, stealing two lineouts in the sort of form which saw Clermont Ferrand sign him as an 18-year old two years ago from Treviso. Skipper Éanna McCarthy and No.8 Luke Murphy led the way in cleaning up the lineout and out-half Tom Wood pulled back a penalty from close range after 25 minutes after lock Billy Corrigan was taken out with a no-arms tackle to cut the gap to 5-3 in a game where both sides struggled to build phases, largely due to some poor handling. Italian full-back Edoardo Todaro extended their lead five minutes from the break with a penalty from 35 metres after Murphy did well to collect a chip as the home side countered from deep, but he was isolated and pinged for holding on and Ireland went in trailing 8-3. Ireland, similar to the start of the opening half, defended an Italian penalty to touch down the right, forcing a knock-on ten metres short of the line. Wood pulled back another penalty from the right inside the 22 after another no-arms tackle on Corrigan to reduce the margin to 8-6 after 52 minutes. But Italy struck a telling blow just before the second water break when a penalty down the right was mauled over from over 20 metres by a rampant home pack with Gritti credited with the touchdown and Todaro adding the conversion to take a 15-6 lead into the final quarter. Try-scorer Casartelli was binned for a high tackle on Ireland full-back Charlie Molony just before Italy turned over a promising Irish attack. And Ireland made the most of the opportunity. Corrigan took the lineout and Ireland went blindside for replacement hooker Mikey Yarr to score in the corner and cut the gap to 15-11 with 17 minutes remaining after replacement out-half Wisniewski was unable to add the touchline conversion. Skipper McCarthy was held up after a good drive before Italy countered and after Todaro was wide from 43 metres, they countered with another superb maul which ended with a penalty in front of the posts which Todaro converted to make it 18-11 and Irish lock Corrigan was binned with nine minutes remaining. Ireland, down a man and with try-scorer Yarr going off with an injury, never gave up and a second penalty to the right corner yielded a try for replacement Oisin Minogue with the clock in the red to cut the margin to two points but Wisniewski was unable to convert from the right and Italy celebrated a second successive win over Ireland. Scorers for Italy: Tries: N Casartelli, P Gritti. Con: E Todaro. Pens: Todaro (2). Scorers for Ireland: Try: M Yarr. Pens: T Wood (2). ITALY: E Todaro; A Drago (R Ioannucci 62), F Zanandea, R Casarin, J Ducros (G Pietramala 68); R Fasti, N Beni (M Bellotto 74); S Pelliccioli (S Mistrulli 54), N Corvasce (A Caiolo-Serra 54), N Bolognini (L Trevisan 53); M Midena (E Opoku Gyamfi 53), P Gritti; G Milano, C Bianchi (A Miranda 57), N Casartelli. IRELAND: C Molony; P Farrell, C Mangan, E Smyth, D Moloney; T Wood (S Wisniewski 60), W Wootton (C Logan 64); A Usanov (B Bohan 53), H Walker (M Yarr 53-78), A Mullan (T McAllister 53) M Ronan (C Kennelly 48), B Corrigan; E McCarthy, B Power (O Minogue 62), L Murphy. Referee: Ben Breakspear (Wales).
The Irish Sun
20 hours ago
- The Irish Sun
What Irish TV channel is Ireland U20 vs Italy on? Kick-off time, live stream, teams & odds for World Championship clash
IRELAND will look to make it two wins from two in the World Rugby U20 Championship when they face hosts Italy. Neil Doak's men began their campaign in style with a 35-28 victory over Georgia . Here's everything you need to know about the match. When is it on and what time is kick-off? The Kick-off is at 7:30pm Irish time. Where can I watch it? The game will not be shown on Irish terrestrial Read More on Ireland Rugby However, fans will be able to stream the game for FREE over on RugbyPass TV. What are the teams? Noah Doak made just two changes to the side that edged out Georgia last Sunday. Scrum-half Will Wootton will start as will Alex Usanov, with Connacht starlet Eanna McCarthy once again captaining the team. Ireland U20: Charlie Molony, Paidi Farrell, Ciaran Mangan, Eoghan Smyth, Derry Moloney, Tom Wood, Will Wootton; Alex Usanov, Henry Walker, Alex Mullan, Mahon Ronan, Billy Corrigan, Michael Foy, Eanna McCarthy, Luke Murphy. Most read in Rugby Union Replacements: Mikey Yarr, Billy Bohan, Tom McAllister, Conor Kennedy, Bobby Power, Clark Logan, Sam Wisniewski, Daniel Green.] Italy U20: Edoardo Todaro, Alessandro Drago, Federico Zanandrea, Riccardo Casarini, Jules Ducros, Roberto Fasti, Niccolo Beni; Sergio Pelliccioli, Nicolo Michele Corvasce, Nicola Bolognini, Mattia Midena, Piero Gritti, Giacomo Milano, Carlo Antonio Bianchi, Nelso Casartelli. 'Magical few days' - Inside Peter O'Mahony's fun-filled Disneyland holiday despite 'bananas crowds' Replacements: Alessio Caiolo-Serra, Sascha Mistruilli, Luca Trevisan, Enoch Opoku-Gyamfi, Antony Italo Miranda, Matteo Bellotto, Riccardo Ioannucci, Gianmarco Pietramala. What are the odds? Ireland are priced at 4/9 to make it two wins from two against the host nation, while the Azzurri are out to 7/4. The draw is valued at 20/1. What happened the last time they played? Ireland's last encounter against Italy represented a chastening experience for the Young Boys in Green. A 15-12 defeat to the Azzurri back in February bookended a disappointing Ireland finished rock bottom of the Championship table with just one win in their five games. It was a first ever defeat to a side that they had hammered 55-15 in the 2024 World Championship just eight months previously. Italy go into Friday's game in search of a big result having started their campaign with defeat to New Zealand , who Ireland face in their final pool stage game on July 9. 1 Ireland face Italy in the World Rugby U20 Championship Credit: Brendan Moran/Sportsfile
