Six changes have been made to the Ireland side who beat Scotland 31-7 last Saturday.

Prop Sam Illo is rested after a stellar performance, with Mark Donnelly coming in in his place.

Leinster’s Alex Soroka is moved up to lock as Donncha Byrne gets a starting berth on the blindside.

Two of last week’s standout performers, Oisin McCormack and Captain Alex Kendellen keep their places in the starting XV.

Nathan Doak and Tim Corkery take the nine and 10 jerseys respectfully, replacing Ulster’s Conor McKee and James Humphreys.

The Connacht centre pairing of Cathal Forde and Shane Jennings starts once again while one change is made to the back three.

St. Michael’s College graduate Chris Cosgrave comes into the side to play alongside Jamie Osborne and Ben Moxham.

Illo, McKee and others are available from the bench.

The kick-off is at 8 pm with coverage starting on RTÉ One at 7:30 pm.

Backs

15. Jamie Osborne (Naas CBS/Naas RFC/Leinster)
14. Ben Moxham (Larne High School/Ballymena RFC/Ulster)
13. Shane Jennings (Garbally College/Buccaneers RFC/Connacht)
12. Cathal Forde (Colaiste Iognaid/Corinthians RFC/Connacht)
11. Chris Cosgrave (St Michael’s College/UCD RFC/Leinster)
10. Tim Corkery (St Kieran’s College, Kilkenny/UCD RFC/Leinster)
9. Nathan Doak (Wallace High School/Banbridge RFC/Ulster)

Forwards

1. Jack Boyle (St Michael’s College/UCD RFC/Leinster)
2. Ronan Loughnane (Cistercian College Roscrea/UCD RFC/Leinster)
3. Mark Donnelly (CBC Cork/Garryowen RFC/Munster)
4. Alex Soroka (Belvedere College/Clontarf RFC/Leinster)
5. Harry Sheridan (Sullivan Upper School/Dublin University FC/Ulster)
6. Donnacha Byrne (Summerhill College/Sligo RFC/Connacht)
7. Oisin McCormack (Garbally College/Buccaneers RFC/Connacht)
8. Alex Kendellen (PBC Cork/UCC RFC/Munster)(Captain)

Replacements

16. Eoin de Buitléar (Scoil Chuimsitheach Chiáran/An Ghaeltacht/Corinthians RFC/Connacht)
17. George Saunderson (Sullivan Upper School/Queen’s University Belfast RFC/Ulster)
18. Sam Illo (Wesley College/Old Wesley RFC/Leinster)
19. Mark Morrissey (Blackrock College/UCD RFC/Leinster)
20. Reuben Crothers (Wallace High School/Ballynahinch RFC/Ulster)
21. Conor McKee (Sullivan Upper School/Queen’s University Belfast RFC/Ulster)
22. Ben Carson (Wallace High School/Banbridge RFC/Ulster)
23. Jude Postlethwaite (RBAI/Banbridge RFC/Ulster)
24. Fearghail O’Donoghue (Cashel Community School/Cashel RFC/Munster)
25. Daniel Okeke (Ard Scoil Ris/Shannon RFC/Munster)
26. Conor Rankin (Campbell College Belfast/Ballynahinch RFC/Ulster).

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The U20’s face Scotland at 2 pm on Saturday with coverage available on RTÉ One from 1:40 pm.

Forde says that the squad has a great atmosphere in training and that the side is raring to go.

“We are really just looking forward to getting out there and getting competitive rugby under our belts,” said Forde.

The Connacht prospect will don the number 12 shirt later today but game time in the past year has been hard to come by.

Forde only played for the Connacht Eagles a handful of times and some sevens tournaments only compliment that slightly.

However, he will have a familiar face on the touchline to help him through the match on Saturday.

#FutureIsGreen

𝗧𝗲𝗮𝗺 𝗔𝗻𝗻𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗰𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁

Head Coach Richie Murphy has named his Ireland Match Day squad for Saturday's #U20SixNations opener against Scotland in Cardiff

Full details: https://t.co/Uhz1sqspZm#ShoulderToShoulder #IrishRugby #SCOvIRE pic.twitter.com/INxrYitwX6

— Irish Rugby (@IrishRugby) June 18, 2021

Colm ‘Collie’ Tucker is the forwards coach for the Ireland U20s and is currently involved in the Connacht senior setup after being the academy’s Elite Player Development Officer.

“We would have had him since Under 17s, myself and a few of the other Connacht lads here so it has been good to have a familiar face here with the Connacht coaching staff.

“Obviously he was here last year and had massive experience at this level – it has been brilliant.”

Forde thinks that the experience he had in the U20 squad for last year’s curtailed Six Nations is important.

The experience of training with the Connacht seniors will also pay dividends for the 19-year-old.

Forde highlighted the advice given to him by established figures in the province as one of his biggest takeaways from his time with the seniors.

“Obviously, I got massive experience from the likes of Jack and Bundee, Forde noted.

“They have been fairly helpful to my game – Bundee knows his stuff and he has been great to me.

“I’m always looking for fixes for my game and if he spots them, they’ll call them out to me, give me a few tips.”

The energy in this year’s squad is similar to the Triple Crown winners of last year, according to Forde.

The free-flowing rugby visible last year could be on show again this year and the Connacht academy star is supportive of that.

“It is a case of enjoying our rugby and going out and give a performance.”

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The 2 pm kick-off will see Munster back-rower Alex Kendellen lead his side out for the first time.

The U20s will step onto the pitch tomorrow for the side’s first Six Nations game since March 2020.

It will be the first in their defence of last year’s Triple Crown.

Kendellen is one of five players who made their debuts in the Pro 14 this season.

Fellow back-rower Alex Soroka kitted out for Leinster and so did Tim Corkery.

Jamie Osborne and Ben Moxham round off the five who played Pro 14 rugby this season.

The squad sees Temi Lasisi, Ronan Loughnane and Sam Illo pack down together.

Soroka, Oisin McCormack and Kendellen cover the back-row.

Connacht duo Cathal Forde and Shane Jenning will wear numbers 12 and 13.

Josh O’Connor and the aforementioned Ben Moxham and Jamie Osborne will be the back three.

The 11 replacements include Corkery, Chris Cosgrave and Connacht’s Eoin de Buitléar among others.

Ireland Squad v Scotland

15. Jamie Osborne (Naas CBS/Naas RFC/Leinster)
14. Ben Moxham (Larne High School/Ballymena RFC/Ulster)
13. Shane Jennings (Garbally College/Buccaneers RFC/Connacht)
12. Cathal Forde (Colaiste Iognaid/Corinthians RFC/Connacht)
11. Josh O’Connor (St Peter’s College/UCD RFC/Leinster)
10. James Humphreys (Dean Close School/Queen’s University Belfast RFC/Ulster)
9. Conor McKee (Sullivan Upper School/Queen’s University Belfast RFC/Ulster)

1. Temi Lasisi (CBS Enniscorthy/Lansdowne FC/Leinster)
2. Ronan Loughnane (Cistercian College Roscrea/UCD RFC/Leinster)
3. Sam Illo (Wesley College/Old Wesley RFC/Leinster)
4. Mark Morrissey (Blackrock College/UCD RFC/Leinster)
5. Harry Sheridan (Sullivan Upper School/Dublin University FC/Ulster)
6. Alex Soroka (Belvedere College/Clontarf RFC/Leinster)
7. Oisin McCormack (Garbally College/Buccaneers RFC/Connacht)
8. Alex Kendellen (PBC Cork/UCC RFC/Munster)(Captain)

Replacements:

16. Eoin de Buitléar (Scoil Chuimsitheach Chiáran/An Ghaeltacht/Corinthians RFC/Connacht)
17. Jack Boyle (St Michael’s College/UCD RFC/Leinster)
18. Mark Donnelly (CBC Cork/Garryowen RFC/Munster)
19. Jack Kelleher (PBC Cork/UCC RFC/Munster)
20. Reuben Crothers (Wallace High School/Ballynahinch RFC/Ulster)
21. Will Reilly (CBS Portlaoise/MU Barnhall/Leinster)
22. Tim Corkery (St Kieran’s College, Kilkenny/UCD RFC/Leinster)
23. Chris Cosgrave (St Michael’s College/UCD RFC/Leinster)
24. Donnacha Byrne (Summerhill College/Sligo RFC/Connacht)
25. Ben Carson (Wallace High School/Banbridge RFC/Ulster)
26. Daniel Okeke (Ard Scoil Ris/Shannon RFC/Munster).

The game kicks off at 2 pm and will be available on RTÉ 1 from 1:40 pm.

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He would watch videos of Kieran Read to improve his game and attempt to mould his own playstyle based on the New Zealander.

Kendellen captained his school team in the Senior Cup and sixth year, which was cut short by the pandemic.

Now, the Munster back-rower is set to captain Richie Murphy’s Ireland under-20’s side at the 2021 U20 Six Nations in Cardiff.

The captaincy is “a huge honour for [Kendellen] and [his] family back home.”

However, it is not just the captaincy he can benefit from at the Ireland U20’s camp.

Defence coach and former Munster and Ireland forward Denis Leamy has taken the U20 captain under his wing at camp.

#IrishRugby

𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝙗𝙧𝙖𝙞𝙣𝙨 𝙩𝙧𝙪𝙨𝙩

With 165 Ireland caps between them, we love it when old friends return

Looking forward to having @Paul_OConnell and Denis Leamy work with our Senior and Under-20 teams in 2021! #ShoulderToShoulder pic.twitter.com/pMy38I6AvJ

— Irish Rugby (@IrishRugby) January 14, 2021

Kendellen describes him as an “exceptional” coach who wants to mould the Munster prospect into the best possible version of himself.

“Denis has been through it all, I suppose. Firstly, he’s been extremely good to me. Back-row aspects of the pitch – be it ruck, be it tackle, be it poach – he’s taken me under his wing and just showed me that aspect of the game. He kind of wants what he can offer me, I suppose, and what player he can mould me into.”

Richie Murphy is another established figure in Irish rugby that the young number eight can learn from.

The Ireland U20s head coach was heavily involved in player development at Leinster for several years.

He has overseen the development of talents such as 99-cap international fly-half Johnny Sexton and Leinster legend Fergus McFadden.

“First time I actually met him was two or three weeks ago, but he has really brought the squad together,” Kendellen said.

“It’s great to have such a senior coach, I suppose, whose been up at that level and can bring his knowledge down to us younger lads and guide us from there, I suppose.”

Those involved with Munster have also lent their words to Kendellen ahead of the U20 Six Nations opener against Scotland.

Captain Kendellen explained that he was welcomed with open arms at all levels in the Munster setup.

Players such as the now-retired Billy Holland offered advice to the 20-year-old after he received the news that he was going to captain the national U20 side.

He added that he was “thrown into the deep end” at Munster after he left school.

To be fair, the academy lads, they brought me in with open arms. Extremely good to me, like the seniors were. Learning off the back-rows in Munster, the competition is crazy down there, so yeah. Really thrown into the deep end after school but that’s the best way I learned, if I was to tell you – to just get thrown in and kind of sink or swim I suppose.”

From watching YouTube videos of Kieran Read to leading his country out this Saturday against Scotland, Alex Kendellen has come a long way.

Cheering him on will be several experienced figures who have helped him get to this moment and those that will only help him get further and further in the sport.

The post Ireland U20 Captain Alex Kendellen Has Experience At His Disposal appeared first on SportsNewsIreland.

All-Ireland U20 Football semi-finals
Dublin v Tyrone, Kingspan Breffni Park, 2.30pm – TG4 Click for ive scores
Galway v Kerry, LIT Gaelic Grounds, 4pm – TG4 click for Live scores

Meanwhile, it is Galway vs Kerry on the other side of the draw.

The westerners claimed the Connacht title for the second year in succession with a convincing win over Roscommon in March. It ended 4-13 to 0-5 but it was the previous game that Galway will remember more vividly. It took a penalty shoot-out to separate Mayo and Galway in McHale Park all the way back in February. After a second-half fightback with the aid of a massive wind, Galway won the shoot-out 3-2.

The Kingdom Come?

Recently, Kerry have failed to translate the success of their minor teams into their U-20/U-21 setups. Despite winning five minor All-Ireland finals between 2014 and ’18, the Kingdom have had no U-20/21 side reach a final in that time. However, John Sugrue will be hopeful that 2020 is the year a Kerry side reaches the showdown again.

Conquering Munster will have gone a long way to boosting Sugrue’s players’ confidence in spite of the time elapsed. Earlier in the year, they defeated Cork 0-17 to 1-9 in Tralee. More impressively, they were four down at the midway stage. A second-half masterclass from Ruaidhri Ó Beaglaoich, who scored 0-5 on the night, catapulted Kerry to the Munster title.

Currently, Kerry edge Dublin as the favourites to lift the All-Ireland. But, it will only take two wins from any of the remaining teams be crowned Champions. Furthermore, it remains to be seen how each team has been affected by the long break. Therefore, expect two very closely contested semi-finals this Saturday.

TG4 are broadcasting both games live.

Saturday October 17: U-20 Football Championship Semi-Finals.

Dublin vs Tyrone (Kingspan Breffnie Park, 2pm).

Galway vs Kerry (LIT Gaelic Grounds 4pm).

Níl ach 4 fhoireann fágtha sa gcomórtas @EirGrid F20

Tabharfaidh seaimpíní @UlsterGAA faoi sheaimpíní @gaaleinster

'S taréis do @Kerry_Official seaimpíní na hÉireann a bhualadh, tabharfaidh siadsan aghaidh ar @Galway_GAA

An exciting weekend of football ahead on @TG4TV! pic.twitter.com/RyLGHmartU

— Spórt TG4 (@SportTG4) October 13, 2020

https://3.249.64.60/gaa/10-fermanagh-players-test-positive-for-covid-19-leaving-some-tough-decisions/

https://3.249.64.60/gaa/10-fermanagh-players-test-positive-for-covid-19-leaving-some-tough-decisions/

https://twitter.com/SportTG4/status/1315929990937153536

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