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Ciaran Frawley starts in Ireland A side featuring six internationals
By Josh Raisey
Leinster’s Ciaran Frawley will start at fly-half for Ireland A on Sunday alongside five other capped internationals against England A at Bristol’s Ashton Gate Stadium – which is broadcast live on RugbyPass TV.
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The 27-year-old is joined by Munster’s Shane Daly, Ulster’s Tom O’Toole and clubmate Max Deegan as senior internationals in the starting XV, with flanker Deegan captaining the side.
A further two internationals, Munster’s Oli Jager and Leinster’s Harry Byrne, are on the bench to take on an England A side that also boasts four internationals.
After kicking the winning drop-goal against world champions South Africa in Durban just months ago, the eight-cap Frawley has slipped down the Irish pecking order with the emergence of Leinster team-mate Sam Prendergast, who will start against Wales the day before in Cardiff.
Ireland A head coach Mike Prendergast said: “There has been a good edge to training this week and I’ve been really impressed by the application of the squad since meeting up on Monday. It’s an exciting challenge merging players from all four provinces for a one-off game and we know that we are facing a real test against an England side who have a lot of Premiership experience in their ranks.
“Every time you get to pull on the green jersey it’s a special moment and there are some players who have experience of being involved in the senior international set-up before. With a summer tour to Georgia and Portugal coming up, Sunday presents another chance to impress. The players are primed and ready to go.”
Ireland A XV
15. Shane Daly (Cork Constitution/Munster)(2)
14. Tommy O’Brien (UCD RFC/Leinster)
13. Jude Postlethwaite (City of Armagh RFC/Ulster)
12. Hugh Gavin (Galwegians RFC/Connacht)
11. Shayne Bolton (Connacht)
10. Ciaran Frawley (UCD/Leinster)(8)
9. Nathan Doak (Banbridge RFC/Ulster)
1. Tom O’Toole (Ballynahinch/Ulster)(16)
2. Diarmuid Barron (Garryowen/Munster)
3. Jack Aungier (Clontarf FC/Connacht)
4. Evan O’Connell (Young Munster RFC/Munster)
5. Darragh Murray (Buccaneers RFC/Connacht)
6. Max Deegan (Lansdowne/Leinster)(captain)(2)
7. Alex Kendellen (UCC RFC/Munster)
8. Sean Jansen (Connacht)
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Replacements
16. Stephen Smyth (Old Wesley RFC/Leinster)
17. Paddy McCarthy (Dublin University FC/Leinster)
18. Oli Jager (Munster)(1)
19. Conor O’Tighearnaigh (UCD RFC/Leinster)
20. Alex Soroka (Clontarf FC/Leinster)
21. Fintan Gunne (Terenure College RFC/Leinster)
22. Harry Byrne (UCD/Leinster)(4)
23. Brian Gleeson (Garryowen FC/Munster)
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