Ireland team named for Australia clash on Saturday

Ireland have been forced to make two changes to their starting XV ahead of their second U20 World Cup U20 Championship group game against Australia in Santa Fe at 2.30pm (Irish time).

Full-back Iwan Hughes picked up an injury to his finger during Ireland’s victory over England and is out for the rest of the tournament, while Munster’s Sean French, who came on in the second half, sustained a facial injury that also rules him out of the rest of the tournament.  Number 8 Azur Allison is going through the return to play protocols. Aaron O’Sullivan and Max O’Reilly have been called up to the squad in place of Sean French and Iwan Hughes but will not be in the side this weekend.

Rob Russell comes into the starting XV in place of Hughes at 15 with Angus Kernohan and Jonathan Wren again named on the wings. The rest of the back line is unchanged with Craig Casey and Jake Flannery named in the half-backs and Stewart Moore and Liam Turner in the centre.

A front row of Josh Wycherley, Dylan Tierney-Martin and Thomas Clarkson remains unchanged while captain Charlie Ryan and Ryan Baird pack down in the second row. In a slight positional change, Josh Hodnett moves from 7 to 8 in place of Allison. Ronan Watters comes in at open-side while David McCann starts at 6.

Both teams go into the game having picked up a bonus point wins in the opening round as Ireland defeated England 42-26 while the Junior Wallabies beat Italy 36-12.

Meanwhile, England hooker Alfie Barbeary’s tournament is over after he was handed a five-week suspension for his reckless tackle on John Hodnett in Tuesday’s opener.