Ireland will hope for reversal of fortune against France in opener

IRELAND COACH Allen Clarke will be hoping they can avenge the one defeat they suffered in winning this season’s Under-20 Six Nations Championship, to France, when the two sides meet on Saturday in Rosario, Argentina, in the opening fixture of the World Cup.

Clarke’s side beat Italy, England, Wales and Scotland but were second best in Mazamet near Toulouse, losing narrowly 20-15 to the French.

The Irish squad left earlier in the week with Clarke finalising its composition by adding Connacht prop Denis Buckley, flanker Brian O’Hara, flanker Jordi Murphy, outhalf Noel Reid and centre David McSharry to the regular match squad during the Six Nations.

Reference to the Northern Hemisphere competition is particular apposite as Ireland find themselves alongside another familiar foe and the number two seeds for the World Cup, England in Pool B: hosts Argentina complete the four team group. The Irish matches will be shown live on Setanta.

Ireland produced arguably their outstanding performance of the spring when comprehensively beating a highly-regarded English side 25-10 at Kingsholm, eventually edging out the latter on points’ difference for the overall title.

Leinster flanker Rhys Ruddock leads a very talented squad that could thrive in the good underfoot conditions. There are a number of game-breakers like Andrew Conway, Simon Zebo, Tiernan O’Halloran, Darren Hudson and Eoin Griffin alongside powerful ball carriers in Nevin Spence and Brendan Macken. Reid will provide additional options at either outhalf or centre.

John Cooney has provided an excellent link between backs and pack at scrumhalf and up front there were a number of stand-out performers in the Six Nations including secondrow David O’Callaghan, Shannon number eight, Paddy Butler and Leinster duo Ruddock and Dominic Ryan.

England coach Mark Mapletoft is confident his side can exact revenge on Ireland and replicate their runners-up finishes at the last two World Cups even though he’s been had to make a couple of late alterations, one of which saw him replace a back with a forward.

A shoulder injury to Newcastle fullback Tom Catterick has led to Mapletoft calling up Harlequins hooker Rob Buchanan, leaving England with 15 forwards and 11 backs. Mapletoft explained: “Having lost Tom, we went away and looked closely at previous tournaments and the nature of our squad. Rob has experience across the frontrow and he’s been doing really well in his time with us. It was a difficult decision but we decided ultimately to go for a 15-11 split because we think we have enough versatility in the back line to cope.”

The English squad includes five survivors from last year’s tournament in leading points’ scorer, London Irish’s Tom Homer – he played against Leinster in the Heineken Cup this season – the Harlequins pair of Rory Clegg and Joe Marler, Saracens’ Jamie George and Gloucester’s Shaun Knight.

IRELAND SQUAD:N Annett (Ulster), D Buckley (Connacht), P Butler (Munster), B Cagney (Munster), A Conway (Leinster), J Cooney (Leinster), D Doyle (Leinster), E Griffin (Connacht), B Hayes (Munster), Ml Heaney (Ulster), D Hudson (Leinster), B Macken (Leinster), S Maguire (Leinster), B Marshall (Leinster), J McKinney (Ulster), D McSharry (Leinster), J Murphy (Leinster), D O'Callaghan (Munster), J O'Connell (Leinster), T O'Halloran (Connacht), B O'Hara (Munster), N Reid (Leinster), R Ruddock (Leinster, capt), D Ryan (Leinster), N Spence (Ulster), S Zebo (Munster).

UNDER-20 WORLD CUP(Ireland fixtures, Pool B, all kick-off times Irish). Saturday: Ireland v France, Estadio El Coloso del Parque, Rosario (6pm). Wednesday, June 9th: Ireland v England, Estadio El Coloso del Parque, Rosario, (6pm) Sunday, June 13th: Argentina v Ireland, Estadio El Coloso del Parque, Rosario, (8pm)