Elwood hoping for fast track

Under-20/ France v Ireland Auch, 6.30pm: The team to play France in Ireland's second match of the RBS Six Nations Under-20 Championship shows one change from the side that beat Italy 6-0 in Athlone last Friday.

Fullback Niall Morris has been ruled out by an ankle injury and his place has been taken by Seán Scanlon, who joins the starting team from the replacements.

Scanlon played most of last week's match, having been sprung from the bench after just 15 minutes. His inclusion from the start today means Conor Cleary moves to the bench.

Coach Eric Elwood, who has no survivors from last year's Grand Slam-winning side, will hope for a more fluid game than last week's grind, which turned out to be fractious as well as error-strewn - among other things, the Italian lock Alberto Cazzola was sent off for throwing a punch.

The liberating philosophy coach Marc Lièvremont has brought to his senior side may well rub off on these French juniors, who beat the Scots 12-6 last weekend in Falkirk, Scotland, and they are likely to provide an even sterner test than did the Italians, who held Ireland to just two successful kicks from the outhalf Martin Dufficy in the first match of the series.

They are strong up front and fast and inventive in the backs, and Elwood expects a different type of challenge tonight in Stade Jacques Fouroux, Auch.

"Last week's match may not have been the prettiest game, but the guys stuck it out and showed great character to get past the Italians in the end," said the coach and former Connacht and Ireland outhalf.

"We felt that the selection should reflect that level of performance and have gone with an unchanged side, with the exception of Niall's injury.

"Hopefully we will have a drier track to go on this week to allow us move the ball a bit more and not get caught up in playing from ruck to ruck."

IRELAND: Seán Scanlon (Munster); D Kearney (Leinster), Eoin O'Malley (Leinster), E Sheridan (Leinster), C Cochrane (Ulster); M Dufficy (Leinster), D Moore (Leinster); P Karaviannis (Ulster), S Douglas (Ulster), B Barclay (Leinster), D Nolan (Connacht), E Sherriff (Leinster), K Essex (Leinster), OP Ryan (Leinster, capt), P Mallon (Leinster). Replacements: J Harris-Wright (Leinster), S Archer (Munster), James Sandford (Ulster), I Nagle (Munster), K Green (Leinster), I Madigan (Leinster), C Cleary (Leinster) Management: Phil Orr (manager), Eric Elwood (coach), Dan McFarland (asst coach).

FRANCE: Dumora; Mehn, Bastareaud, David, Fofana; Belie, Lacrampe; Lakafia, Chollon, Vivalda; Jaulhac, Maestri (capt); Kervarec, Maynadier, Agnesi. Replacements: Olive, Ric, Roidot, Loubière, Tomas, Gimenez, Coll.