EVAN O’CONNELL, NEPHEW of Irish great Paul, will captain the Ireland U20s side as they kick off their Grand Slam defence against France on Saturday. 

O’Connell is one of five starting players to have featured in the successful campaign of 2023. Hugh Gavin starts in the centre; Danny Sheahan is named at hooker; O’Connell leads from the engine room; Joe Hopes and Brian Gleeson are in the back row.

Meanwhile, Ben O’Connor, Finn Treacy and Hugo McLaughlin are the back three, with Wilhelm de Klerk joining Gavin in midfield. In the half-backs, Oliver Coffey partners Jack Murphy. O’Connor has switched to rugby from hurling, and was part of the Cork side that won the U20 All-Ireland title last year. 

Up front, Alex Usanov and Andrew Sparrow pack down either side of Sheahan, with Alan Spicer and skipper O’Connell in the second row. Hopes is at blindside flanker, Bryn Ward is named at openside and Gleeson is at number eight.

Kick off in Aix-en-Provence on Saturday is at 8.10pm Irish time, and the game will be live on Virgin Media Two. 

Ireland U20s 

• 15. Ben O’Connor (UCC RFC/Munster)
• 14. Finn Treacy (Galwegians RFC/Connacht)
• 13. Wilhelm de Klerk (UCD RFC/Leinster)
• 12. Hugh Gavin (Galwegians RFC/Connacht)
• 11. Hugo McLaughlin (Lansdowne FC/Leinster)
• 10. Jack Murphy (Clontarf FC/Leinster)
• 9. Oliver Coffey (Blackrock College RFC/Leinster)
• 1. Alex Usanov (Clontarf FC/Leinster)
• 2. Danny Sheahan (Cork Constitution FC/Munster)
• 3. Andrew Sparrow (UCD RFC/Leinster)
• 4. Alan Spicer (UCD RFC/Leinster)
• 5. Evan O’Connell (UL Bohemian RFC/Munster) (capt)
• 6. Joe Hopes (Queen’s University Belfast RFC/Ulster)
• 7. Bryn Ward (Ballynahinch RFC/Ulster)
• 8. Brian Gleeson (Garryowen FC/Munster)

Replacements:

• 16. Henry Walker (Queen’s University Belfast RFC/Ulster)
• 17. Ben Howard (Terenure College RFC/Leinster)
• 18. Jacob Boyd (Queen’s University Belfast RFC/Ulster)
• 19. Billy Corrigan (Old Wesley RFC/Leinster)
• 20. Luke Murphy (Shannon RFC/Munster)
• 21. Tadhg Brophy (Naas RFC/Leinster)
• 22. Sean Naughton (Galway Corinthians RFC/Connacht)
• 23. Ethan Graham (Ballynahinch RFC/Ulster).