Head Coach Andrew Browne has named the Ireland U20s Match Day Squad, sponsored by PwC, for Saturday night’s U20s Six Nations clash against Wales at Virgin Media Park (Kick-off 7.45pm).
Match tickets are available here.
For the third game in succession, eight Munster players are included.
Centres Rob Carney and James O’Leary, out-half Tom Wood, scrum-half Christopher Barrett and lock Joe Finn all start for the fourth game in succession. Prop Christian Foley, flanker Billy Hayes and out-half Charlie O’Shea are included among the replacements.
Cashel RFC outside centre Rob Carney has made 10 appearances for his club at senior level this season. Carney started out at Roscrea RFC and played his schools rugby with Cistercian College Roscrea, lining out for the Munster U19s in 2024.
UCC inside centre O’Leary is a former PBC student and Cork Constitution clubman who has started the last three Pinergy Munster Schools Senior Cup finals, earning winners’ medals in 2023 and 2024.
Garryowen out-half Wood joined the Munster Rugby Academy in the summer and made his Munster debut against Glasgow Warriors in January. He lined out for the Ireland U20s last season and came up through the ranks at Ballina-Killaloe RFC and St Munchin’s College.
UCC scrum-half Barrett is a former CBC student and Cork Constitution clubman who helped his school to the Pinergy Munster Schools Senior Cup title last season having also reached the final of the competition in 2023 and 2024.
Garryowen lock/flanker Joe Finn is a former Cistercian College Roscrea student who started out at Ballina-Killaloe RFC and has already featured for Munster A.
Garryowen flanker Billy Hayes started out at Roscrea RFC and played his schools rugby with Cistercian College Roscrea. He featured for Munster A in the draw with Leinster A in December.
Young Munster prop Christian Foley is from Abbeyfeale RFC and has been playing in Division 1A of the Energia AIL over recent seasons. He was also involved with the Ireland U20s last year.
UCC’s Charlie O’Shea helped CBC to the Pinergy Munster Schools Senior Cup title last season having also reached the final of the competition in 2023 and 2024.
After a superb victory over England in Bath last time out, Ireland continue their Championship campaign against Wales in Cork, with the match live on Virgin Media Two and BBC iPlayer.
Browne has selected an unchanged backline from the victory at The Rec in Round 3, with Noah Byrne, Derry Moloney and Daniel Ryan continuing in Ireland’s back three.
James O’Leary and Rob Carney are retained in midfield, while Munster duo Christopher Barrett and Tom Woods are named in the half backs.
In the pack, Max Doyle, Lee Fitzpatrick and captain Sami Bishti make up an unchanged front row, with Joe Finn and Dylan McNeice named in the engine room. Josh Neill, Player of the Match in the last two Rounds, is at blindside flanker, Ben Blaney comes in at openside and Diarmaid O’Connell completes the starting team at number eight.
On the bench, Duinn Maguire, Christian Foley, Blake McClean, Donnacha McGuire, Billy Hayes, James O’Dwyer, Charlie O’Shea and Johnny O’Sullivan are the reinforcements available to Browne.
Ireland U20s
15. Noah Byrne (Dublin University FC/Leinster)
14. Derry Moloney (Blackrock College RFC/Leinster)
13. Rob Carney (Cashel RFC/Munster)
12. James O’Leary (UCC/Munster)
11. Daniel Ryan (Galway Corinthians RFC/Connacht)
10. Tom Wood (Garryowen FC/Munster)
9. Christopher Barrett (UCC RFC/Munster)
1. Max Doyle (UCD RFC/Leinster)
2. Lee Fitzpatrick (Blackrock College RFC/Leinster)
3. Sami Bishti (UCD RFC/Leinster)(captain)
4. Joe Finn (Garryowen FC/Munster)
5. Dylan McNeice (UCD RFC/Leinster)
6. Josh Neill (Old Wesley RFC/Leinster)
7. Ben Blaney (Terenure College RFC/Leinster)
8. Diarmaid O’Connell (Galway Corinthians RFC/Connacht)
Replacements:
16. Duinn Maguire (UCD RFC/Leinster)
17. Christian Foley (Young Munster RFC/Munster)
18. Blake McClean (Instonians RFC/Ulster)
19. Donnacha McGuire (UCD RFC/Leinster)
20. Billy Hayes (Garryowen FC/Munster)
21. James O’Dwyer (Old Belvedere RFC/Leinster)
22. Charlie O’Shea (UCC RFC/Munster)
23. Johnny O’Sullivan (Dublin University FC/Leinster).