Ireland U20 Head Coach, Nigel Carolan has named the Ireland U20 side to face France this Friday night in Donnybrook, handing Rob Lyttle his first U20 cap.
Lyttle comes into the team at full-back and will be partnered in the back-field by Jordan Larmour and Calvin Nash.
Nash will captain the side in the absence of the injured Jack Kelly and Cillian Gallagher.
Tommy O'Brien will wear the number 13 jersey and he lines out alongside his UCD and Leinster team mate Ciaran Frawley at centre.
At half-back, Munster and Garryowen out-half Bill Johnston makes his first appearance for the Ireland U20s since last June, when Ireland faced New Zealand in the U20 World Championships. He is partnered by Queen's University and Ulster scrum-half Johnny Stewart.
Carolan explained the changes and said: ""We've been forced to make a number of changes due to injuries this week, but that gives other players the opportunity to demonstrate what they can offer.
"The players trained with the Senior squad last Friday in Monaghan and they will have taken a lot of positives from that session which they carried into training this week.
"The French bounced back well from their defeat to England to win convincingly against Scotland, so we have a big challenge ahead of us this Friday, however with the quick surface in Donnybrook, along with playing in front of our home fans, the players are looking forward to getting out there and are looking to put in a good performance."
Ireland: Rob Lyttle, Jordan Larmour, Tommy O'Brien, Ciaran Frawley, Calvin Nash, Bill Johnston, Johnny Stewart, Joey Conway, Tadgh McElroy, Charlie Connolly, Jack Regan, Oisin Dowling, Marcus Rea, Paul Boyle, Caelan Doris
Replacements: Ronan Kelleher, Rory Mulvihill, Peter Cooper, Gavin Coombes, Sean Masterson, Jack Lyons, Conor Fitzgerald,Alex McHenry
Watch Ireland v France live on RTÉ2 from 4.30pm Saturday, listen live on Radio 1 Saturday Sport and follow our live blog on RTÉ Sport Online.
Watch Ireland U20 v France U20 live on RTÉ2 from 8pm Friday and watch Ireland Women v France Women live on RTÉ2 from 12.30pm Sunday. Follow live blogs on RTÉ Sport Online.
