Chiefs quintent to face Ireland

 

By Mark Stevens

The highly-rated Exeter Chiefs quintet will again line-up for England Under-20s when they face Ireland in Athlone on Friday night.

Jack Arnott, Joel Conlon, Luke Cowan-Dickie, Sam Hill and Henry Slade have all retained their places in Rob Hunter's starting XV for the game at Dubarry Park - although Cornishman Cowan-Dickie is involved in a positional change as he switches from loosehead prop to that of hooker for the contest.

England kicked off their Six Nations title defence in Devon last Friday with a 15-6 victory at the Brickfields - a game in which Cowan-Dickie claimed one of two tries for the home side, whilst fly-half Slade landed a further five points with the boot.

Despite the win, Hunter has made four changes to his line-up with starts for Mark Jennings, Henry Purdy, Danny Hobbs-Awoyemi and Scott Wilson.

England face an Ireland side who lost their opening game in Wales 17-15, but England Head Coach Rob Hunter is under no illusions as to the task in hand, stating: “Ireland are always a tough side, particularly at home, we've had a good week and we’re just looking forward to getting out there now."

England Under-20s starting XV to play Ireland

15 Ben Howard (Worcester Warriors)
14 Jack Arnott (Exeter Chiefs)
13 Mark Jennings (Sale Sharks)
12 Sam Hill (Exeter Chiefs)
11 Henry Purdy (Leicester Tigers)
10 Henry Slade (Exeter Chiefs)
9 Alex Day (Northampton Saints)
1 Danny Hobbs-Awoyemi (Northampton Saints)
2 Luke Cowan-Dickie (Exeter Chiefs)
3 Scott Wilson (Newcastle Falcons)
4 Elliott Stooke (Gloucester Rugby)
5 Dom Barrow (Leeds Carnegie)
6 Ross Moriarty (Gloucester Rugby)
7 Joel Conlon (Exeter Chiefs)
8 Jack Clifford (Harlequins, capt)

Replacements:

16 Max Crumpton (Saracens)
17 Nathan Morris (London Wasps)
18 Danny Herriott (Northampton Saints)
19 Tom Jubb (Saracens)
20 Harry Wells (Leicester Tigers)
21 Nathan Fowles (Sale Sharks)
22 Will Hooley (Northampton Saints)
23 Tom Collins (Northampton Saints)