Forwards to provide platform

The Ireland Under-21 team shows four changes from that beaten 27-19 by England at Kingsholm for tonight's international. Left wing Tommy Bowe and centre Glen Telford are both out due to injury.

Bowe is replaced by Loughborough University's Paul McKenzie, while Telford's place in the centre goes to Breffne O'Donnell of UL Bohemian. Wasps' Robbie Shaw is preferred to Tomas O'Leary at scrumhalf, the latter dropping down to the replacements.

Cork Constitution flanker Brendan O'Connor has recovered from injury and he returns in place of Kevin McLaughlin. There is one further change to the squad with Lansdowne's Greg Stafford named on the bench.

The Irish side drew with France 20-20 in their opening match and then beat last season's Grand Slam winners, Wales, at the Sportsground before going down to England.

The Italians' most recent formline is a narrow home defeat to Scotland in a game that saw over 70 points scored. The challenge for Mark McCall's Ireland will be to impose their patterns and refrain from an overuse of the boot that ultimately caused them problems against England.

The visitors won't pose the same problems up front, nor do they possess the cutting edge of England. The Irish pack acquitted themselves well in Gloucester and can be expected to dominate tonight. This should provide the platform for the Irish backs to test the Italian tackle.

Ireland have never lost to the Italians at this level and should be in line for a convincing victory.

IRELAND U-21: A Finn (Dolphin); R Lane (UCC), J Hearty (Blackrock), B O'Donnell (UL Bohemian), P McKenzie (Loughborough); G Steenson (QUB), R Shaw (Wasps); J Wickham (Clontarf), D Fogarty (Constitution), K Doyle (UCD); D Gannon (Blackrock, capt), S O'Connor (Constitution); B O'Connor (Constitution), J Heaslip (DU), O Hennessy (Dungannon). Replacements: C Geoghegan (UCD), S Bennett (Bath), N McComb (Dundee HSFP), D O'Brien (Old Belvedere), T O'Leary (Constitution), M Glancy (Loughborough), G Stafford (Lansdowne).

ITALY U-21: A Galante; V Santillo, A Chillon, N Pavin, L Nitogua; A Marlato (capt), G Toniolatti; L Miloni, F Grosso, F Staibano; T Reato, V Bernabo; L Ghiraldini, A Zanni, E Leonardi. Replacements: A Vigne-Donati, M Coletti, S Nicol, R Barbieri, M Pitton, C Spadaro, R Assandri.

Referee: N Owens (Wales).