Will Wootton and Alex Usanov start for Ireland against Italy at World Rugby U20 Championship
Charlie Molony, Paidi Farrell and Derry Moloney continue again in Ireland's back three, with Eoghan Smyth and Ciarán Mangan making up the midfield pairing. Tom Wood is at out-half and is joined in the half-backs by Wootton.
In the pack, Usanov, Henry Walker and Alex Mullan are in the front row, Mahon Ronan and Billy Corrigan in the engine room, and Luke Murphy joins Michael Foy and captain Éanna McCarthy in the back row.
Mikey Yarr, Billy Bohan, Tom McAllister, Conor Kennelly and Bobby Power are the forwards available to Doak, with backs Clark Logan, Sam Wisniewski and Daniel Green completing Ireland's matchday 23.
Ireland: Charlie Molony, Paidi Farrell, Ciarán Mangan, Eoghan Smyth, Derry Moloney, Tom Wood, Will Wootton, Alex Usanov, Henry Walker, Alex Mullan, Mahon Ronan, Billy Corrigan, Michael Foy, Éanna McCarthy, Luke Murphy.
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Irish Examiner
19-07-2025
- Irish Examiner
Late try saves Irish blushes against Spain in World Rugby U20 Championship
World Rugby U20 Championship: Ireland 38 Spain 37 Neil Doak's Ireland managed to avoid the ignominy of finishing bottom of the World Rugby U20 Championship in Calvisano but only by scoring a match-winning try less than two minutes from the end against 14-man Spain. It was a heart-breaking loss for the Spanish but relief for an Ireland side who had already finished bottom of this year's Six Nations having been finalists and semi-finalists in the last two World Rugby U20 Championships in South Africa. The jeopardy had already been removed from this 11th place final in midweek when World Rugby confirmed there would not be any relegation as there will be an expanded 16-team tournament in Georgia next year when Fiji, Japan, Uruguay and the USA will join the dozen who took place this summer in Italy. It was a first ever meeting between these sides in the grade, the 16th country that Ireland have played against at U20 level. But there was one familiar face in the Spanish line-up in lock Liam McNamee, who was born in Valencia, a current University of Galway student who came through the ranks with Carrick-on-Shannon RFC and Sligo Grammar and who played for the Connacht juniors this year. Ireland laid the foundation for victory with two converted tries in the opening eight minutes. Centre Jonny Scott got his first after a good move off a lineout penalty while winger Charlie Molony scored off a scrum move inside the 22, with out-half Tom Wood converting both. But Spain, who had only won one match in their two years in this tournament and who had lost all previous games to European opposition by an average of 25 points, hit back and after scrum-half Nicola Infer kicked a penalty, hooker Pau Massoni got in for a try. Full-back Daniel Green got in for a try after a move off a right-wing lineout penalty at the end of the opening quarter but while they increased their lead through Scott when debutant lock Donnacha McGuire was in the bin when the former Blackrock College player was pinged for a late tackle, Spain struck for a second try when loosehead Alberto Gomez bulldozed over to cut the gap to 26-15 at the interval. Spain cut the gap to the minimum with a converted try from Marcel Carreras and the boot of Infer. Hooker Henry Walker got over off a lineout but was then binned and while he was off Spain hit the front for the first time, with lock Victor Ofgojetu scoring after having one scratched and then when skipper Eanna McCarthy took over the throws in the absence of his hooker, Spain robbed one and scored from halfway from out-half Lucien Richardis, who has made his Top 14 debut for Toulouse, to lead 37-33 with 15 minutes left. Spain were reduced to 14 men a minute later when replacement prop Danny Chico was sent off for a dangerous tackle. Ireland, with scrum-half Chris O'Connor and prop Jack Ryan coming on for their U20 debuts, rallied and seemed set for a shock defeat when Wood had a 73rd minute try ruled out after Scott was pinged on review for a knock-on in the build-up. Ireland came with one final rally and Walker got through to score with less than two minutes remaining when they got the drive off a penalty in the right corner to prevent an embarrassing defeat. Scorers for Ireland: Tries: J Scott (2), H Walker (2), C Molony, D Green. Cons: Wood (4). Scorers for Spain: Tries: P Massoni, A Gomez, M Carreras, V Ofjetu, L Richardis. Cons: N Infer (2), G Otamendi. Pens: Infer (2). IRELAND: D Green; C Molony (P Farrell 56), J Scott (G O'Leary Kareem 75), E Smyth, D Moloney; T Wood, W Wootton (C O'Connor 67); A Usanov (P Moore 60), H Walker, T McAllister (J Ryan 72); D Walsh (B Corrigan 53), D Maguire; M Foy (B Power 23), E McCarthy, O Minogue. SPAIN: B Ortega (Gomez 70-76); J Garreta (G Otamendi 53), O Marsinyac (U Zuriarrain 74), H Pichardia, P Serrano; L Richardis, N Infer; A Gomez (H Gonzalez 49), P Massoni (M Perez 60), G Reyes Rendon (D Chico 65); V Ofojetu, L McNamee (G Gonzalez 63); U Salvador, M Carreras (M Lopez 58), M Pujana Lendinez. Referee: Tomas Bertazza (Argentina).
The 42
14-07-2025
- The 42
Ireland U20s in danger of wooden spoon after defeat to Scotland
IRELAND U20S suffered a 22-21 loss to Scotland at the World Rugby U20 Championship this evening in Verona, Italy. The defeat means Neil Doak's side need to beat Spain on Saturday to avoid receiving the tournament's wooden spoon. A last-gasp try from hooker Jake Shearer ensured the continuation of a miserable year for Ireland U20s, who previously finished bottom of the Six Nations table. Advertisement The Scots had the better of the first half. Tries from Nairn Moncrieff and Seb Stewart put their side in command, before Henry Walker's score was converted by Sam Wisniewski to get Ireland back in the game. However, Scotland finished the opening period the stronger — Ollie Duncan's try was converted by Matthew Urwin to establish a 17-7 half-time lead. Ireland breathed a sigh of relief that the advantage was not more sizeable, as tries from Ollie Duncan and Hector Patterson were both disallowed. The Irish youngsters then threatened to mount a second-half comeback. Replacement Liam McLaughlin's try, converted by Daniel Green, cut the deficit to three points and set up an exciting finale. Ireland looked like they were going to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat late on, as Paidí Farrell's try saw them take the lead in the game for the first time, with Green adding the conversion. But Shearer's intervention in the final play of the match ensured it would be Scotland to play Georgia for ninth place.
Irish Examiner
14-07-2025
- Irish Examiner
Defeat to Scotland leaves Ireland U20s needing victory over Spain to avoid wooden spoon
World Rugby U20 Championship: Scotland 22 Ireland 21 Ireland will face Spain next Saturday bidding to avoid the wooden spoon for the first time ever at the World Rugby U20 Championship as their disastrous year at this grade took another big nosedive in northern Italy. Ireland, whose only win in the Six Nations this year was when they finished bottom came against Scotland, looked to have done enough when they came from ten points down in the final quarter to lead for the first time. And it seemed were going to hold on when Scotland were pinged for an offside as they came with a final onslaught — but the decision was reversed on review and the Scottish, who hadn't beaten Ireland in this grade for seven years, made the most of the reprieve for Glasgow Warriors academy hooker Jake Shearer to squeeze over while they had a second penalty advantage in the final play in Verona. Scotland will now play Georgia for ninth place while Neil Doak's side, who were World Championship semi-finalists last year and runners-up the previous season, need to beat Spain to avoid the ignominy of finishing bottom for the first time. Scotland, who had lost all three pool games including a 73-14 hammering by South Africa and a 56-19 drubbing from England, were good value for their 17-7 interval lead and would have been further ahead had they not had two tries scratched on review by the television match official. Ireland were on the back foot from the sixth minute when a strong run by Scottish left winger Fergus Watson set up a promising opportunity inside the 22 in front of the posts and they went wide for the other winger Nairn Moncrieff to score an unconverted try in the right corner. They doubled the lead four minutes later when hooker Seb Stewart, who made his Glasgow Warriors debut against Leinster at the end of the season, scored off a lineout drive after a good 50:22 from out-half Matthew Urwin. Oisín Minogue, who had scored in Ireland's last two games, got in for a try after a lineout take by Michael Foy but there was obstruction in the move and it was wiped. Minogue turned provider off another lineout and this time captain Henry Walker scored, with Sam Wisniewski's conversion cutting the gap to 10-7 after 26 minutes. Flanker Ollie Duncan, who played for Kilkenny RFC before his family returned to Edinburgh, scored after good work by scrum-half Hector Patterson and winger Watson with Urwin's conversion making it 17-7 after 29 minutes. Duncan then had a try disallowed for taking out Irish scrum-half Clark Logan as they raced for the line and moments later there was another let-off for Ireland when scrum-half Patterson grazed the touchline before touching down in the right corner. An eventful opening half for Duncan saw him binned for a dangerous tackle at the breakdown on Minogue and it remained yellow after a bunker review. Ireland failed to score while they had the extra man and they also failed to cut the deficit despite dominating the third quarter. But they got a lifeline when replacement hooker Liam McLaughlin — skipper Walker had to move to the back row as injuries mounted but he still did the lineout throws — got over from close range and Daniel Green converted to cut the gap to 17-14 after 65 minutes. And they hit the front for the first time when Eoghan Smyth put Paidí Farrell away down the right and the winger from Tullamore went outside Jed Finlay to score an excellent try in the corner, his third of the tournament. Green, now at out-half, landed a superb touchline conversion to make it 21-17. But Ireland were unable to hold and were duly punished by the Scots. Scorers for Scotland: Tries: N Moncrieff, S Stephen, O Duncan, J Shearer. Con: M Urwin. Scorers for Ireland: Tries: H Walker, L McLaughlin, P Farrell. Cons: D Green (2), S Wisniewski. IRELAND: D Green; P Farrell, C Mangan, E Smyth (J Scott 75), G O'Leary Kareem (C Molony 3-13 blood); S Wisniewski (Molony 60), C Logan (W Wootton 35); A Usanov (P Moore 35), H Walker, A Mullan (T McAllister 57); M Ronan (L McLaughlin 56), C Kennelly (B Corrigan 52); M Foy, B Power, O Minogue (D Walsh 52). SCOTLAND: J Brown; N Moncrieff (J Finlay 68), J Ventisei, K Yule, F Watson; M Urwin (J Hocking 79), H Patterson (N Cowan 73); O McKenna (B White 55), S Stephen (J Roberts 60), O Blyth-Lafferty (J Shearer 62); D Cockburn (C Moss 55), B Godsell; O Duncan, F Douglas, R Logan. Referee: Filippo Russo (Italy).
