Setanta Sports will provide live coverage of the IRB Under-19 World Cup, which runs in Belfast from April 5th to 21st.

The defending champions and top seeds, Australia, begin their defence against Ireland on Thursday, April 5th, at Ravenhill. Coverage begins at 7.25pm.

Five other venues will be used: the Grafton Arena (home of Belfast Harlequins RFC), Shaws Bridge, Malone, Bangor and Queen's University. But Ireland's other pool games, against Scotland (April 9th) and South Africa on (April 13th), are at Ravenhill.

Ireland, coached by Derek Suffern, were overwhelmed by Wales, 31-9, in Llanelli on February 16th but the squad will be improved by an influx of schools players in the coming weeks.

They lost 24-10 to Ballynahinch RFC, where Suffern is rugby director, on Saturday and play their penultimate warm-up match against Italy in Rome this weekend.