Ulster youth get the chance

RUGBY:A WELCOME home of sorts for Mike Ruddock will certainly have focused the former Welsh coach's mind this week in what is looking increasingly like the definitive game of the under-20s campaign.

Of course, England are coming to Athlone next Friday, but considering the heavy tanking inflicted by France on an understrength Irish line-up at Dubarry Park last month, which sparked a 15-0 reply in defeat of Scotland, tonight’s game in Llanelli is building into a fairly significant battle for, at least, third place in the table.

The championship has largely mirrored the senior breakdown, in that Wales were beaten by England and, like Ireland, won their other two matches.

Ruddock is without four experienced players in Connacht number eight Eoin McKeon, Ulster outhalf James McKinney, and injured Leinster duo Andrew Conway and Brendan Macken.

But this means the huge potential of Ulster’s right wing Craig Gilroy and inside centre Luke Marshall can be viewed once again. Something is clearly stirring up north.

Paddy Jackson is joined at halfback by fellow Methody College graduate Blaine McIlroy.

The pack remains unchanged and led by another son of Ulster in hooker Niall Annett.

The Welsh have a habit of mixing and matching at this level to expose as many players as possible but coach Darren Edwards claims this is very close to his strongest starting XV.

If parity is achieved in the trenches by the likes of Jordi Murphy and Aaron Conneely then Gilroy should be given enough space to do the rest.

WALES: S Shingler; A Warren, B John, O Williams, H Robinson; M Morgan, L Jones; R Jones, K Myhill, W Taylor; M Cook (capt), M Screech; E Siggery, L Hamilton, B Thomas. Replacements: S Parry, R Evans, C Hill, O Sheppeard, J Evans, R James, J Griffin.

IRELAND: M Sherlock (Leinster); C Gilroy (Ulster), A Kelly (Leinster), L Marshall (Ulster), A Boyle (Leinster); P Jackson (Ulster), B McIlroy (Ulster); J Tracy (Leinster), N Annett (capt, Ulster), M Moore (Leinster), M Kearney (Leinster), D Qualter (Connacht), S Buckley (Munster), A Conneely (Connacht), J Murphy (Leinster). Replacements: D Doyle (Leinster), T Furlong (Leinster), I Henderson (Ulster), C O’Flaherty (Munster), M Dolan (Connacht), JJ Hanrahan (Munster), T O’Halloran (Connacht).