Ireland under-20s to face France is named

Watch Live WEB-ONLY coverage of the RBS Under-20 6 Nations Championship meeting between France and Ireland at Stade des Alpes in Grenoble from 1.50pm.

The Ireland under-20 team has been named for their second clash of the RBS Under-20 6 Nations Championship. The side will take on their French counterparts on Saturday afternoon in Stade Des Alpes, Grenoble.

Coach Mike Ruddock has brought two new faces into the side that won their opening game against Wales, 11 - 6, last weekend in Athlone.

Conor Finn has been brought into the starting XV to replace Barry Daly. Daly broke thumb in last week’s clash against Wales and underwent surgery on Sunday for same. He is expected to be out of action for six weeks.

Diarmuid Higgins has been brought into the squad and will take his place on the bench replacing Jake Cawley who took a knock during last week’s game and is unavailable for selection this week. Cawley is due to be available for selection for the Italy test.

Chris Farrell has been promoted from the bench to the centre along with scrum-half Luke McGrath, both of whom make their first start of the series.

Kieran Marmion and Foster Horan have been named in the replacements.

With temperatures in France well below zero, there is a possibility that the game may yet be called off.

Ireland U20s v France, Under-20 RBS 6 Nations, Stade Des Alpes, Grenoble, 11 February, 2.15 GMT:

15 Shane Layden (Buccaneers - Connacht)
14 Conor Finn (Buccaneers - Connacht)
13 Chris Farrell (Dungannon - Ulster)
12 JJ Hanrahan (UL Bohemian - Munster)
11 Sam Coghlan - Murray (UCD - Leinster)
10 Paddy Jackson (Dungannon - Ulster) (C)
9 Luke McGrath (UCD - Leinster)

1 Kyle McCall (Ballynahinch - Ulster)
2 Niall Scannell (Dolphin - Munster)
3 Peter Reilly (Lansdowne - Leinster)
4 Iain Henderson (QUB - Ulster)
5 Daniel Qualter (Buccaneers - Connacht)
6 Conor Gilsenan (UCD - Leinster)
8 Jack Conan (Old Belvedere - Leinster)
7 Aaron Conneely (Corinthians - Connacht)

Replacements:
16 Des Merrey (Clontarf - Leinster)
17 James Rael (Garryowen - Munster)
18 Diarmuid Higgins (Buccaneers - Connacht)
19 Tadhg Beirne (Lansdowne - Leinster)
20 Jordan Coughlan (UCD - Leinster)
21 Kieran Marmion (Corinthians - Connacht)
22 Cathal Marsh (Dublin University - Leinster)
23 Foster Horan (Lansdowne - Leinster)