The Ireland Men’s U20s Match Day Squad, sponsored by PwC, has been named for Friday’s challenge match against South Africa U20s at Virgin Media Park (Kick-off 7.30pm).
Head Coach Andrew Browne assembled an extended squad of players for a training camp in Cork this week and has selected a strong Match Day Squad to take on South Africa in the opening match of the 2025/26 season.
Leinster prop Sami Bishti will captain the side on Friday night with a number of players – including Charlie Molony, Tom Wood and Donnacha McGuire – returning for Ireland this season having been capped at U20s level last campaign.
Friday’s match will provide Browne and his Coaching Team with a valuable opportunity to test squad depth and build momentum and cohesion ahead of the 2026 Men’s U20s Six Nations, which gets underway in February.
Tickets are available to purchase via Ticketmaster.ie here and the game will be streamed live on IrishRugby+ thanks to PwC, the official sponsor of the Ireland U20s.
Ireland Men’s U20s:
15. Noah Byrne (DUFC/Leinster)
14. Charlie Molony (UCD/Leinster)
13. Sean Walsh (Corinthians RFC/Connacht)
12. James O’Leary (UCC/Munster)
11. Daniel Ryan (Corinthians RFC/Connacht)
10. Tom Wood (Garryowen/Munster)
9. Christopher Barrett (UCC/Munster)
1. Max Doyle (UCD/Leinster)
2. Lee Fitzpatrick (Blackrock College RFC/Leinster)
3. Sami Bishti (UCD/Leinster)(captain)
4. Donnacha McGuire (UCD/Leinster)
5. Dylan McNeice (UCD/Leinster)
6. Joe Finn (Garryowen/Munster)
7. Arthur Ashmore (Terenure College RFC/Leinster)
8. Diarmaid O’Connell (Corinthians RFC/Connacht)
Replacements:
16. Rian Handley (Old Wesley RFC/Leinster)
17. Christian Foley (Young Munster RFC/Munster)
18. Blake McClean (Instonians RFC/Ulster)
19. Sean Walsh (MU Barnhall RFC/Leinster)
20. Michael O’Sullivan (UCC/Munster)
21. Fergus Callington (Durham University/IQ Rugby)
22. Conor O’Shaughnessy (Galwegians RFC/Connacht)
23. Johnny O’Sullivan (DUFC/Leinster).
