Ross Byrne out of Junior World Championship with back injury

Ireland's hopes for the Junior World Championship in Italy next week have received a setback with the withdrawal of outhalf Ross Byrne.

Byrne, who played in last year’s tournament and started all five games in this year’s Under-20 Six Nations, has suffered a back injury. He will be replaced in the squad by Cork Constitution’s Tomás Quinlan, with either UCD’s Joey Carbery or Lansdowne’s Fergal Cleary likely to start at 10 in the tournament. Quinlan is the only uncapped player in the squad.

The tournament is taking place in Parma, Italy from June 2nd-22nd, with Ireland sharing pool C with Argentina, Scotland and New Zealand. They open their campaign against Argentina next Tuesday in Stadio Sergio Lanfranchi, Parma.

Meanwhile, Jonathan Davies has been ruled out of Wales' World Cup campaign later this year due to a serious knee injury.

The 27-year-old was hurt playing for Clermont against Top 14 opponents Montpellier last Saturday, and he now faces surgery to repair a ruptured anterior cruciate ligament.

Davies, who has won 48 caps and played in all three Tests for Lions against Australia in 2013, is expected to face a lay-off of six to seven months.