It's difficult to trump a Grand Slam but that's the legacy from last year's Ireland squad who beat all before them, including victories over French and Italian under-21 teams. This season everyone is primed to compete at the same age level with Irish coach Eric Elwood charged with moulding a fresh crop of players as there are no survivors from the last campaign.
He is able to call upon a significant number of the Ireland team that competed in last season's under-19 World Cup in Belfast. Elwood confirmed: "The continuing cycle of underage rugby has meant that this year's squad are all totally new to this level but they have pulled together extremely well over the last number of weeks in our camps and practice games. Playing Italy at any level offers a real physical challenge and this will be no different. We have ability across the team, but our first goal is to gain a foothold in . . . the physical stakes."
David Kearney, a brother of Ireland senior squad member Rob, Niall Morris and Eoin O'Malley are all talented backs while up front former under-19 captain Paul Ryan will lead a pack that is athletic and mobile but will face a stern examination in the tight.
Italy proved a real handful for 50 minutes in the corresponding fixture last year and they have managed two warm-up games in the build-up to this match.
IRELAND UNDER-20: N Morris (Leinster); D Kearney (Leinster), E O'Malley (Leinster), E Sheridan (Leinster), C Cochrane (Ulster); M Dufficy (Leinster), D Moore (Leinster); P Karayiannis (Ulster), S Douglas (Ulster), B Barclay (Leinster); D Nolan (Connacht), E Sheriff (Leinster); K Essex (Munster), P Ryan (Leinster, capt), P Mallon (Leinster). Replacements: J Harris-Wright (Leinster), S Archer (Munster), J Sandford (Ulster), I Nagle (Munster), K Green (Leinster), I Madigan (Leinster), S Scanlon (Munster).
ITALY UNDER-20: G Sapuppo; E Rotella, R Quartaroli, A Chiesa (capt), A Bacchetti; R Bocchino, A de Marchi, T D'Apice, M Ravalle; F Giusti, A Cazzola; N Simoni, S Favaro, L Petillo. Replacements: L Sebastiani, M Colia, A Redi, L Puliti, M Nava, A Pratichetti, G Massaro.
Referee: A MacPherson (Scotland).
