Ulster back row Reuben Crothers will once again captain the Ireland U20s for their Summer Series in Italy.
The Grand Slam-winning captain is named in Richie Murphy's squad of 31 for the games, with a lengthy injury list ensuring just 14 of the group featured during the Six Nations earlier this year.
As well as Crothers, Murphy has been able to call on Conor O'Tighearnaigh, James McCormick, Aitzol King and Fionn Gibbons, all of whom were heavily involved in the Six Nations success, while Munster's Patrick Campbell and Charlie Tector are both absent due to injury.
A number of players have been drafted in from the Ireland U19s, among them out-half Sam Prendergast, younger brother of Connacht and Ireland back row Cian.
The squad have been preparing with camps at the IRFU high performance centre in Abbotstown, before departing for Italy next week ahead of their tournament opener against France in Verona on Friday, 24 June.
"It's an interesting one, there's been a massive turnover within that group," head coach Richie Murphy said.
"The guys, some of them coming back have a big responsibility to get the others up to speed. We have 10 U19s in the squad, so some of those guys have done reasonably well in the U19s programme that was there."
And the head coach has picked out a couple of less familiar names to keep an eye on in the coming weeks, with one of those in particular who featured for Ireland U19s earlier this year, England-born George Shaw.
"He might not start but big George Shaw [Cardiff University] coming over from the IQ is an interesting character - 6ft 5in, 107 or 108 kilos, a big man, a little bit to learn, but quite raw and definitely a guy who could come good over the next period and also into next year.
"In relation to 20s, Dylan O'Grady, [Leinster/UCD] who didn't play that much in the Six Nations - he was our 24th man - has really stepped up in the last few weeks and trained well. He's very quick, a lovely ball player, and will probably end up playing a good bit of rugby at full-back over the next few weeks."
The Summer Series has been arranged as a one-off tournament in lieu of the World Championship which will resume next summer. The Six Nations countries, along with South Africa and Georgia have been grouped off into two pools of four, with Ireland set for a daunting fixtures list against France, South Africa and England, before a play-off match to determine the final standings.
Murphy admits that coming into the tournament as Six Nations Grand Slam winners, his side will have to deal with a target on their backs, even if the majority are new to U20s rugby.
"Some of those guys are learning a little bit from the guys who were in the squad. We have five from that starting team back from the Six Nations. They will learn from those players, and also from the amount of work we've put into them over the last couple of camps.," he added.
"It's been an eye-opener for a few guys, training intensity levels and how they've been held accountable over the last number of weeks. The turnover of players is a little bit much, but it is what it is. We'll get these guys to the best level that they can be at.
"These guys have been known as Grand Slam champions, but some of them haven't played for the U20s yet."
Forwards (18):
Adam McNamee (Malone RFC/Ulster), Charlie Irvine (Queen's University Belfast RFC/Ulster), Conor O'Tighearnaigh (UCD RFC/Leinster), Darragh McSweeney (Shannon RFC/Munster), Diarmuid Mangan (UCD RFC/Leinster), Dominic Rhys Hey (Gloucester Hartpury Rugby/IQ Rugby), George Hadden (Gorey RFC/Leinster), George Shaw (Cardiff University/IQ Rugby), James McCormick (Ballymena RFC/Ulster), James McNabney (Ballymena RFC/Ulster), Joseph Mawhinney (Ballymena RFC/Ulster), Josh Hanlon (Ballynahinch RFC/Ulster), Kieran Ryan (Shannon RFC/Munster), Lorcan McLoughlin (Queen's University Belfast/Ulster), Oisin Michel (Lansdowne FC/Leinster), Ronan O'Sullivan (Highfield RFC/Munster), Reuben Crothers (Ballynahinch RFC/Ulster)(Captain), Scott Wilson (Queen's University Belfast/Ulster)
Backs (13):
Aitzol King (Clontarf FC/Leinster), Andrew O'Mahony (UCC RFC/Munster), Daniel Hawkshaw (Clontarf RFC/Leinster), David Dooley (MU Barnhall RFC/Leinster), Dylan O'Grady (UCD RFC/Leinster), Ethan Coughlan (Shannon RFC/Munster), Fionn Gibbons (UCD RFC/Leinster), Tony Butler (Garryowen FC/Munster), George Coomber (UCC RFC/Munster), Michael Moloney (UCD RFC/Leinster), Reece Malone (Loughborough University/Ballynahinch RFC/Ulster), Sam Prendergast (Lansdowne FC/Leinster), Shay McCarthy (Young Munster RFC/Munster).
FIXTURES (kick-offs Irish time)
France v Ireland, Payanini Centre, Verona, Friday, 24 June, 7pm
Ireland v South Africa, Payanini Centre, Verona, Wednesday, 29 June, 7pm
Ireland v England, Payanini Centre, Verona, Tuesday, 5 July, 7pm
Play-Offs (Cross-Pool Matches), Stadio di Monigo, Treviso, Tuesday, 12 July
