McCarthy full aware of effort required to beat New Zealand
An 18-16 loss to hosts Italy after they defeated Georgia 35-28 in the opening game means nothing less than a win will do for Ireland and even then they may need a bonus point to oust a Junior All Blacks side who are three match points ahead of them going into this final pool game.
Ireland finished seventh and eighth on the two previous occasions that this 12-team tournament was held in northern Italy and another mid-table position looks on the cards unless they can beat a New Zealand side who defeated them 38-24 in last season's third-place play-off in South Africa.
McCarthy said they were disappointed not to beat the Italians — a conversion to tie the match in the final act was wide — but they have had to shrug off the loss and focus all their attention on a New Zealand side who beat Italy 14-5 and then defeated Georgia 38-19.
'We'll have to face up against them and take it to them,' said the Cork native who is in the Connacht academy. 'We didn't get to play the rugby we wanted to against Italy but the effort couldn't be faulted.'
New Zealand ended Ireland's hopes in the final pool game the last time Italy hosted the tournament in 2015 with Nigel Carolan's side defeating Scotland to finish seventh with a squad which included Andrew Porter, Garry Ringrose, Joey Carbery, Jacob Stockdale, Ross Byrne, Jeremy Loughman and Josh Murphy.
There were also two current Lions in the squad which finished eighth when Italy staged the tournament for the first time in 2011 with Tadhg Furlong and Finlay Bealham on board Mike Ruddock's squad which also included Iain Henderson, Andrew Conway, Paddy Jackson, Craig Gilroy, Kieran Marmion, James Tracy, Jordi Murphy and JJ Hanrahan.
Current head coach Neil Doak, whose side finished bottom of the Six Nations earlier this year, has made four changes for this clash, two at the back and two up front.
Ulster academy player Daniel Green, now with Queen's University having been identified through the IQ (Irish qualified) programme when he was with Sale Sharks, comes in at full-back with Charlie Molony moving to the wing to the exclusion of Paidi Farrell who scored two tries against Georgia.
Another Ulster academy player Jonny Scott replaces Cork Con's Midleton native Eoghan Smyth.
Two recent additions to the Munster academy come in up front with lock Conor Kennelly from Highfield RFC replacing Mahon Ronan, while Shannon's Oisin Minogue, who came through the ranks at Ballina Killaloe RFC, takes over from Billy Power after coming on and scoring the late try against Italy.
The flanker is a son of former Irish international Rosie Foley and nephew of the late Anthony Foley.
Ireland: D Green; C Molony, C Mangan, J Scott, D Moloney; T Wood, W Wootton; A Usanov, H Walker, A Mullan; C Kennelly, B Corrigan; E McCarthy, O Minogue, L Murphy. Replacements: L McLaughlin, B Bohan, T McAllister, D Walsh, B Power, C Logan, S Wisniewski, G O'Leary Kareem.
New Zealand: R Simpson; F Vaenuku, C Roberts, J Wiseman, M Kunawave; W Cole, D Pledger; S Uamaki Pole, M Letiu, R Faleafa; X Treacy, J Sa; F McLeod, C Woodley, M Bason. Replacements: S Kempton, I Time, D Johnston, A Vakasiuola, M Fale, J Tamati, J Cameron, S Solomon.
Referee: Griffin Colby (South Africa)
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