U21 Side to Face Australia

Six Munster players, four from Cork Constitution, have once again been named in the Ireland Under 21 side who will play Australia in the semi-final of the IRB World Championship in Edinburgh.

Six Munster players, four from Cork Constitution, have once again been nmaed in the Ireland Under 21 side who will play Australia in the semi-final of the IRB World Championship in Edinburgh.

Limerick representation is providedby UL Bohemians centre Breffni O’Donnell who has been named on the bench. It is the first time Ireland have reached this stage of the competition following Pool wins over Tonga, Argentina and most recently France.

They now take on second seeds Australia who include in their squad, four players who competed in the competition last year. Since four of that squad hooker Stephen Moore and scrum half Josh Valentine from Queensland, full back Cameron Shepherd and flanker Lei Tomiki from NSW – have all played in the Super 12 competition.

Last time out Australia defeated Argentina and in the opening game were narrow one point winners over France. On a formline through the French, Ireland can entertain high hopes of progressing to the final where they would meet the winners of the South Africa/New Zealand semi which precedes the Irish match.

The Ireland Under 21 team to play Australia Under 21 on Wednesday, 23rd June 2004 in Hughenden Road, Glasgow, Scotland at 7.30pm is as follows:

15 – Andrew Finn (Dolphin) 14 – Richard Lane (UCC) 13 – John Hearty (Blackrock College) 12 – Glen Telford (Dungannon) 11 – Paul McKenzie (Loughborough University) 10 – Gareth Steenson (Queens University) 9 – Tomas O’Leary (Cork Constitution) 1 – John Wickham (Clontarf) 2 – Denis Fogarty (Cork Constitution) 3 – Declan Fitzpatrick (Belfast Harlequins) 4 – David Gannon (Blackrock College) CAPTAIN 5 – Shane O’Connor (Cork Constitution) 6 – Brendan O’Connor (Cork Constitution) 7 – David O’Brien (Old Belvedere) 8 – Jamie Heaslip (Dublin University)

Replacements: 16 – Conor Geoghegan (UCD), 17 – Keith Doyle (UCD), 18 – Neil McComb (Dundee HSFP), 19 – Oisin Hennessy (Dungannon), 20 – Robbie Shaw (Wasps), 21 – Michael Glancy (Loughborough University), 22 – Breiffne O’Donnell (UL Bohemians).