Elwood faces crucial game against NZ

RUGBY ROUND-UPIRELAND UNDER-20 coach Eric Elwood has made several alterations to the team beaten 17-9 by Argentina for tonight's clash with New Zealand in the IRB Junior World Championship at the Arms Park. There is a double change at halfback with Ian Porter and Ian Madigan getting their first starts as do secondrow Ian Nagle, flanker Michael Entwistle and Eamon Sheridan, the latter selected on the wing.

Old Belvedere and Leinster centre Eoin O'Malley takes over the captaincy from Paul Ryan who drops to the replacements. There is still no place for David Kearney who missed the opening game through illness.

Elwood targeted the Pumas match as a must win, something that proved beyond his charges, but his expectations for the game against the junior All Blacks - the majority of which were part of the Under-19 World Cup winning squad in Belfast last year - will be more muted.

New Zealand thumped Tonga 48-9 in their opening game but have made 12 changes here with only Zac Guildford, Peter Saili and Josh Townsend surviving in the starting line-up. The game will be shown live on Setanta Sports (9.10pm) with Ireland hoping for a spirited performance ahead of their final pool outing against Tonga. Elwood said: "Tomorrow night is a crucial game for us and we are relishing this challenge. The changes reflect tomorrow night's challenge and our policy of giving as many players as possible a game."

Ireland A make their bow in the Churchill Cup tomorrow night (12am kick-off, live on Sky Sports) against the USA at the Richardson stadium, Kingston in Canada and the Allen Clarke-coached team includes a couple of Heineken Cup winners in Munster's Tomás O'Leary and Denis Hurley. There is a sprinkling of senior internationals including captain Bob Casey and the entire backrow of Neil Best, Johnny O'Connor and Roger Wilson.

IRELAND A:D Hurley; M McCrea, K Lewis, K Earls, B Tuohy, J Sexton, T O'Leary; C Healy, D Fogarty, M Ross; B Casey, R Caldwell; N Best, J O'Connor, R Wilson. Replacements: T Court, S Cronin, T Hogan, D Ryan, D Pollock, F Murphy, I Keatley.

IRELAND UNDER-20:N Morris; S Scanlon, E O'Malley, C Cleary, E Sheridan; I Madigan, I Porter; P Karayiannis, J Harris-Wright, B Barclay; J Sandford, I Nagle; K Essex, M Entwistle, P Mallon. Replacements: S Douglas, S Archer, C Ruddock, P Ryan, D Moore, M Dufficy, J Smyth.

NEW ZEALAND UNDER-20:Z Guildford; K Poki, J Willison, R Crotty, S Maitland; T Renata, G Hart; N Manu, L Braid, P Saili; J Townsend, S Whitelock; B Afeaki, Q MacDonald, R Ah You.