Ireland opened their 2024 Championship with an impressive bonus point win in France last weekend, with Murphy’s side returning home to Cork for their first home game of the campaign.
Murphy has named an unchanged backline for the visit of Italy as Ben O’Connor, Finn Treacy and Hugo McLaughlin are named in the back three, with Hugh Gavin and Wilhelm de Klerk continuing in midfield. Jack Murphy and Oliver Coffey are the half-back pairing.
In the pack, Alex Usanov, Stephen Smyth and Jacob Boyd are the starting front row, with Alan Spicer once again packing down alongside Limerick-born captain Evan O’Connell, of UL-Bohemian and the Munster Academy in the engine room. Joe Hopes is at blindside flanker, Bryn Ward at openside and Luke Murphy, of Shannon RFC, at number eight.
Murphy has strong options among the replacements bench as Danny Sheahan, Ben Howard, Patreece Bell, Billy Corrigan and Sean Edogbo provide the reinforcements up front, with backs Tadhg Brophy, Sean Naughton and Ethan Graham completing the 23.
Friday night’s match is live on Virgin Media Two.
Ireland U20s:
15. Ben O’Connor (UCC RFC/Munster)
14. Finn Treacy (Galwegians RFC/Connacht)
13. Wilhelm de Klerk (UCD RFC/Leinster)
12. Hugh Gavin (Galwegians RFC/Connacht)
11. Hugo McLaughlin (Lansdowne FC/Leinster)
10. Jack Murphy (Clontarf FC/Leinster)
9. Oliver Coffey (Blackrock College RFC/Leinster)
1. Alex Usanov (Clontarf FC/Leinster)
2. Stephen Smyth (Old Wesley RFC/Leinster)
3. Jacob Boyd (Queen’s University Belfast RFC/Ulster)
4. Alan Spicer (UCD RFC/Leinster)
5. Evan O’Connell (UL Bohemian RFC/Munster)(captain)
6. Joe Hopes (Queen’s University Belfast RFC/Ulster)
7. Bryn Ward (Ballynahinch RFC/Ulster)
8. Luke Murphy (Shannon RFC/Munster)
Replacements:
16. Danny Sheahan (Cork Constitution FC/Munster)
17. Ben Howard (Terenure College RFC/Leinster)
18. Patreece Bell (Sale Sharks/IQ Rugby)
19. Billy Corrigan (Old Wesley RFC/Leinster)
20. Sean Edogbo (UCC RFC/Munster)
21. Tadhg Brophy (Naas RFC/Leinster)
22. Sean Naughton (Galway Corinthians RFC/Connacht)
23. Ethan Graham (Ballynahinch RFC/Ulster).
