All the games in this year's competition will be held in the Oxford/Reading region with Ireland opening their campaign under coach Michale Bradley with a game against the holders South Africa in Iffley Road Oxford on Friday 13th June (3pm). Keogh's side face a formidable task against a South African side that include seven players that won last year's World Cup, six of whom are playing rugby this season in the Super 12 competition.

Besides Keogh, the Ireland pack includes just one other Munster player in the shape of Shane O'Connor (Cork Constitution) but the backs contain five Munster playersm - Peter O'Brien (UCC), Ul Bohemians duo Keith Matthews and Barry Murphy, experienced scrum-half Fiach O'Loughlin and Richard Lane, the UCC wing cum full-back who was an additional player for the Munster senior squad for the knock-out stages of the Heineken Cup.

Ireland Under 21 Squad.

Michael McComish Ballymena Simon Crawford UCD John Lyne Lansdowne Declan Fitzpatrick Belfast Harlequins Jason Moran UCD Rory Best Belfast Harlequins Kevin Corrigan UCD David Gannon UCD Shane O Connor Cork Constitution Neil McComb Dundee University John Muldoon Galwegians Ciaran Potts St. Marys College. Niall Ronan Lansdowne Stephen Keogh UCC, captain. Glen Telford Instonians Tommy Bowe Queens University Peter O Brien UCC Richard Lane UCC John Hearty Blackrock College Keith Matthews UL Bohemians Barry Murphy UL Bohemians Michael Rainey Glasgow Hawks David McAllister Terenure College Conor O Loughlin Buccaneers Fiach O Loughlin Shannon Nicholas McClelland London Irish