Six Nations Under-20, Round 3
All the matches are being played in Friday, 23 February 2018.
England and France, the contenders for top spot should win, though France may find the Italians a handful.
Fixtures, Round 3
France vs Italy at Stade Jean Laville, Gueugnon, kick-off 18.45
Ireland vs Wales at Donnybrook, kick-off 19.15
Scotland vs England at Myreside, Edinburgh, kick-off 19.30
Results, Round 1
England vs Italy, 27-17
France vs Ireland, 34-24
Wales vs Scotland: 36-3
Results, Round 2
Ireland vs Italy, 38-34
England vs Wales, 37-12
France vs Scotland, 69-19
Round 3
France vs Italy at Stade Jean Laville, Gueugnon
Gueugnon, where the match is being played, is a small (population roughly 7 000) town in the middle of France, nearer Switzerland than the Atlantic.
It is expected that, like the rest of France, it will be sunny on Friday with a high of 7°, dropping to 1°.
France clearly expects to win as it has made several changes. One of them is moving their points' machine Romain N'Tamack to the bench.
Italy has stayed pretty well with last round's side.
Teams
France: 15 Gervais Cordin, 14 Lucas Tauzin, 13 Adrien Seguret, 12 Arthur Vincent, 11 Iban Etcheverry, 10 Louis Carbonel, 9 Jules Gimbert, 8 Antonin Berruyer, 7 Ibrahim Diallo, 6 Sacha Zegueur, 5 Alban Roussel, 4 Thomas Lavault, 3 Daniel Brennan (captain), 2 Lucas Peyresblanques, 1 Hassane Kolingar
Replacements: 16 Guillaume Marchand, 17 Jean-Baptiste Gros, 18 Demba Bamba, 19 Jimi Maximin, 20 Baptiste Heguy, 21 Enzo Hardy, 22 Romain N’Tamack, 23 Julien Delbouis
Italy: 15 Simone Cornelli, 14 Andrea De Masi, 13 Michelangelo Biondelli, 12 Damiano Mazza, 11 Tommaso Coppo, 10 Antonio Rizzi, 9 Luca Crosato, 8 Enrico Ghigo, 7 Michele Lamaro (captain), 6 Davide Ruggeri, 5 Matteo Canali, 4 Niccolò Cannone, 3 Michele Mancini Parri, 2 Matteo Luccardi, 1 Danilo Fischetti
Replacements: 16 Niccolò Taddia, 17 Leonardo Mariottini, 18 Guido Romano, 19 Edoardo Iachizzi, 20 Lucas Gulizzi, 21 Nicolò Casilio, 22 Filippo Di Marco, 23 Albert Einstein Batista
Referee: Sean Gallagher (Ireland)
Assistant referees: Nigel Correll (Ireland), Barrie O'Connell (Ireland)
Television match official: Ollie Hodges (Ireland)
Scotland vs England at Myreside, Edinburgh
England have made wholesale changes, indicating perhaps that they are expecting and easy victory. The whole backline, the whole front row, a lock and a flank are changed. On the bench only James Scott remains.
Scotland has not had the luxury of many changes.
Teams
Scotland: 15 Paddy Dewhirst, 14 Rory McMichael, 13 Stafford McDowell, 12 Callum McLelland, 11 Kyle Rowe, 10 Ross Thompson, 9 Charlie Chapman, 8 Devante Onojaife, 7 Guy Graham, 6 Martin Hughes, 5 Jamie Hodgson, 4 Ewan Johnson, 3 Finlay Richardson, 2 Robbie Smith (captain), 1 Shaun Gunn
Replacements: 16 Bradley Clements, 17 Nathan McBeth, 18 Murphy Walker, 19 Marshall Sykes, 20 Rory Darge, 21 Kaleem Barreto, 22 Fraser Strachan, 23 Logan Trotter
England: 15 Jordan Olowofela, 14 Tom Seabrook, 13 Ollie Lawrence, 12 Will Butler (captain), 11 Cadan Murley, 10 Tom Hardwick, 9 Rory Brand, 8 Sam Moore, 7 Aaron Hinkley, 6 Josh Basham, 5 Sam Lewis, 4 Ted Hill, 3 Ehren Painter, 2 Gabriel Oghre, 1 Alex Seville
Replacements: 16 Beck Cutting, 17 Toby Trinder, 18 Joe Heyes, 19 James Scott, 20 Sean Reffell, 21 Ben White, 22 James Grayson, 23 Fraser Dingwall
Referee: Craig Evans (Wales)
Assistant referees: Mike English (Wales), Gareth Newman (Wales)
Television match official: Neil Hennessy (Wales)
Ireland vs Wales at Donnybrook
Only five of the team that started in Round 2 start again for Wales in Round 3.
This could just be an excellent contest between two countries who are almost neighbours. There is an ancient claim that a Welshman was an Irishman who could not swim.
Wales have made many changes. In fact there are nine changes to the team that started in the hiding at the hands of powerful England. But that is not all, for every member of the bench has been changed. Wales claims that this is in keeping with the Welsh intention of giving as many as possible a chance to play for Wales Under-20.
Ireland, on the other hand have made just three changes. In one, scrumhalf, Jonny Stewart, comes back from playing for Ulster senior team.
Teams
Ireland: 15 Michael Silvester, 14 Tommy O'Brien (captain), 13 James Hume, 12 Angus Curtis, 11 James McCarthy, 10 Harry Byrne, 9 Jonny Stewart, 8 Jack O'Sullivan, 7 Matthew Agnew, 6 Sean Masterson, 5 Cormac Daly, 4 Jack Dunne, 3 Jack Aungier, 2 Ronan Kelleher, 1 Jordan Duggan
Replacements: 16 Diarmuid Barron, 17 James French, 18 Tom O'Toole, 19 Charlie Ryan, 20 Ronan Foley, 21 Hugh O'Sullivan, 22 Conor Dean, 23 Angus Kernohanter
Wales: 15 Cai Evans, 14 Joe Goodchild, 13 Callum Carson, 12 Max Llewellyn, 11 Tommy Rogers, 10 Ben Jones, 9 Harri Morgan, 8 Taine Basham, 7 James Botham, 6 Tommy Reffell (captain),5 Max Williams, 4 Owen Lloyd, 3 Rhys Henry,2 Iestyn Harris, 1 Rhys Henry
Replacements: 16 Rhys Carre, 17 Dewi Lake, 18 Kemsley Mathias, 19 Jack Pope, 20 Morgan Morris, 21 Dan Babos, 22 Ben Thomas, 23 Dafydd Smith
Referee: Sam Grove-White (Scotland)
Assistant referees: Mike Adamson (Scotland), Bob Nevins (Scotland)
Television match official: Neil Paterson (Scotland)
Citing commissioner: Peter Larter (England)
