Another Upset On The Cards In Stellenbosch ?

A very short time ago, people’s expectation of the Ireland U20s going into tonight’s game against England would just have been that they’d acquit themselves well.

But now, following that sensational win over the South Africa in the opening round, there's the very well possibility that another upset could be on the cards from the Mike Ruddock coached side.

They play an English outfit who won the earlier Six Nations encounter rather comfortably and were facile 64-5 winners over Italy last Monday but nevertheless on the evidence of what we saw against the Baby Boks, this Ireland side is capable of causing another upset.

They've written the, 'you have being warned' sign in bold block capitals with that performance and if they can produce the same level of commitment and ferocity that they did against the Boks they undoubtedly have the skill sets to close the deal.

Not surprisingly, Ruddock retains the same starting XV and makes just two alterations to his bench, reserve backrow Munsterman Shane Buckley replacing Aaron Conneely and Stuart Olding named ahead of outside back Mikey Sherlock.

Ireland: P Nelson (Dungannon/Ulster); B Daly (UCD/Leinster), F Horan (Lansdowne/ Leinster), C Farrell (Dungannon/Ulster), S Coghlan Murray (UCD/Leinster); JJ Hanrahan (UL Bohemians/Munster), K Marmion (Corinthians/Connacht); D Merrey (Clontarf/Leinster), N Scannell (Dolphin/ Munster, capt), T Furlong (Clontarf/Leinster); T Beirne (Lansdowne/Leinster), I Henderson (Queen's University/Ulster), J Coghlan (UCD/Leinster), C Gilsenan (UCD/Mullingar/Leinster), J Conan (Old Belvedere/Leinster). Replacements: J Rael (Garryowen/ Munster), P Reilly (Lansdowne/ Leinster), J Cawley (Old Belvedere/ Leinster), A OConnor (UCD/Leinster), S Buckley (Garryowen/Munster), L McGrath (UCD/Leinster), J Carty (Buccaneers/ Connacht), S Olding (Belfast Harlequins/ Ulster).

England: T Bell; M Yarde, W Addison, R Mills (capt), C Walker; T Heathcote, B Spencer; A Hepburn, K Britton, K Sinckler, D Barrow, G Merrick, D Sisi, B Nutley, J Clifford. Replacements : M Crumpton, L Cowan-Dickie, R Harrison, S Twomey, C Walker, D Robson, S Hill, B Ransom.

Referee: L van der Merwe (South Africa).