Irish preparations hampered

Under-19 World Cup/Ireland v Australia, Ravenhill, 7.30 On TV, Setanta, BBC 2:Ireland couldn't face a more onerous task in taking on the defending champions, Australia, in their opening game of the Under-19 Rugby World Cup. It would be a difficult enough assignment for the hosts were they embracing the tournament with the requisite preparation but that's not the case.

There are still issues about primacy of selection, clouded by the demands of the Ireland schools and youths teams, where age criteria rather than ability remains a primary focus. Exacerbating the situation is the fact the schools players who have been included have only recently joined the squad and were not available for the Irish team's two warm-up games, both defeats. Provincial schools cup commitments were responsible and so Irish coach Charlie McAleese and his management team have been encumbered by a fractured build-up.

The other home countries as well as the Southern Hemisphere kingpins, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa, view this as the premier competition. Many of the top players have already dipped their toe in senior professional rugby including Australian outhalf Quade Cooper, who made his Super 14 debut for the Queensland Reds earlier this season.

Australia won the tournament last season in Dubai, beating New Zealand 17-13 in the final. Five players remain, prop Ben Daley, scrumhalf Will Genia, centre Brett Gillespie, hooker James Hanson and lock Sam Sykes.

The Wallabies boast 13 players from last year's schools side, three-quarters Andrew Barrett and Alfi Mafi, fullback Peter Beltham, props Albert Anae, Tetera Faulkner and Daniel Palmer, flankers Chris Harkins, Ben McCalman and Rodney Ma'a, centre Rowan Kellam, Cooper, scrumhalf Jeremy Sua and lock Robert Simmons. Cooper and Genia have made their Super 14 debuts.

Ireland finished fifth in Dubai last year and a repeat of that performance would constitute a successful campaign. Led by Blackrock number eight Paul Ryan, they face further pool matches against Scotland next Monday and South Africa the following Friday, both at Ravenhill.

Tonight's Ireland match at the Belfast venue is part of a double header, preceded by the meeting of New Zealand and Wales. Both matches are live on television.

IRELAND UNDER 19:A Craig (Instonians); N Morris (Blackrock College RFC), E O'Malley (UCD), C Cleary (St Michael's College), P Brophy (St Michael's College); S Deasy (PBC Cork), K Greene (St Mary's College RFC); P Karayiannis (RBAI/QUB), S Douglas (Ballymena), M Nelson (Ballynahinch); B Cawley (UCD), I Nagle (Glenstal Abbey), K Essex (CBC, Cork/UCC), R Reilly (St Michael's College), P Ryan (Blackrock College RFC, capt). Replacements: M Sherry (Ard Scoil Rís/Garryowen), I Leonard (St Michael's College), P McCabe (Dublin University), D Foley (UL Bohemian), J Harris-Wright (Blackrock College), P Mallon (St Michael's College), H McAleese (Ballynahinch), J Smith (Ballymena), M Kinsella (Newtown School, Waterford), A Gaughan (Buccaneers), T Seymour (Down HS).

AUSTRALIA UNDER-19 (from):A Anae (Queensland), B Daley (Queensland), T Faulkner (ACT), D Palmer (NSW), J Hanson (Queensland), D Penca (ACT), R Simmons (Queensland), Sam Wykes (NSW), W Vulawalu (ACT), J Waerea-Hargreaves (NSW), C Harkins (ACT), R Ma'a (NSW), B McCalman (NSW), M Uoka (ACT), P Betham (NSW), P McCabe (NSW), A Barrett (NSW), B Connor (Queensland), A Mafi (NSW), B Gillespie (Queensland), M Inman (NSW), R Kellam (NSW), Q Cooper (Queensland), W Genia (Queensland), J Ryan (NSW), J Sua (NSW).

Referee:James Jones (Wales).