Ireland under-20 head coach Neil Doak has made three changes and two positional switches to the starting team from that which lost 19-3 against England for Saturday night’s game against Scotland at the Hive stadium in Edinburgh (7.45pm, live on RTÉ2).
There are a couple of alterations enforced by injuries to rightwing Derry Moloney, who broke a finger but could be back in time for the Wales match, and loosehead prop Alex Usanov; he suffered a leg injury that will see him miss the remainder of the tournament.
Secondrow prospect Alan Spicer, who was sorely missed in Cork, has a small stress fracture in his foot but it doesn’t require surgery. His progress will be monitored. Daniel Green, an outhalf by inclination, comes in at fullback with Charlie Molony switching to the rightwing in place of Derry Moloney.
Gene O’Leary Kareem swaps a place on the bench for the 13 jersey and will partner Ireland’s outstanding player the last day, Connor Fahy, who moves in one place to inside centre, in the midfield. Cork Constitution’s Eoghan Smyth drops to the replacements.
Former Newbridge pupil Billy Bohan, who replaced Usanov after 14 minutes at Musgrave Park, is named in the run-on side with Blackrock College prop Paddy Moore, a son of former Blackrock, Clontarf and a former schools international Dave, promoted to the replacements.
There is one other change to the bench with Sale Sharks scrumhalf Will Wootton, younger brother of Alex, fit again following injury.
Ireland are looking to atone for a largely poor performance against England that was riddled with mistakes and indiscipline, albeit against a big, physical England side. They take on a Scotland side that lost 22-10 to Italy in the opening round of fixtures at Saturday’s venue.
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Irish under-20s back coach Ian Keatley explained that while they wanted the defeat to “hurt” a little, it is important that the group don’t become inhibited by the setback. It is a case of learn, move on, and be better.
“Obviously, frustration [was the overwhelming feeling in the immediate aftermath of the game] because we felt that the squad of boys were capable of much more. And we know we came up against [an] English team [that] everyone thought that we didn’t stand a chance [of beating].
“But I think the frustrating part was that we created chances. I think we got inside their 22 nine or 10 times, and we didn’t come away with any tries. While they got into our 22 five times and came away with one try.
“When you look back, look at the stats and how the game went, we had 17 penalties against us as opposed to their 10. There were a lot of unforced errors, just little mistakes; it’s frustrating that we just didn’t take any of our chances.
“In reviewing the game, you have to be very balanced. You do want them to hurt a little bit and that it is okay [to feel that way] but then bounce back in training this week.”
Ireland Under-20: D Green (QUB); C Molony (UCD), G O’Leary Kareem (UCC), C Fahy (Clontarf), C Mangan (Blackrock College); S Wisniewski (Old Belvedere), C Logan (QUB); B Bohan (Galway Corinthians), H Walker (QUB), A Mullan (Blackrock College); M Ronan (Old Wesley), B Corrigan (Old Wesley); M Foy (UCC), B Power (Galwegians), É McCarthy (Galwegians, capt). Replacements: C Magee (Banbridge), P Moore (Blackrock College), T McAllister (Ballynahinch), D Walsh (Terenure College), O Minogue (Shannon), W Wootton (Sale Sharks), D Hicks (Garryowen), E Smyth (Cork Constitution).
