Cork's Ben O'Connor and Danny Sheahan picked in Ireland 15 to face France

HEAD Coach Richie Murphy has named his Ireland U20s squad, sponsored by PwC, for the opening match of the U20 Six Nations against France in Aix-en-Provence on Saturday night (8.10pm Irish time).

Cork duo Ben O'Connor and Danny Sheahan are included in the starting 15 along with Evan O’Connell, who captains the team from the second row and is one of five players in the line-up who featured during last year’s Grand Slam-winning campaign.

Hugh Gavin starts in the centre, Danny Sheahan is named at hooker, O’Connell leads from the engine room and Joe Hopes and Brian Gleeson are in the back row.

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.

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.

Murphy has strong options among the replacements bench as Henry Walker, Ben Howard, Jacob Boyd, Billy Corrigan and Luke Murphy provide the reinforcements up front, with backs Tadhg Brophy, Sean Naughton and Ethan Graham completing the 23.

Saturday’s match is 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, c).

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).