Brian Gleeson set to miss this weekends Six Nation game against Italy through injury

Brian Gleeson will be a massive loss to Ireland on Friday night as he will have to sit out the home game in Cork against Italy following a knock he took last weekend when he picked up a minor ankle injury.

The former Rockwell College star got injured late on in the game against France which Ireland won  37-31 and it is hoped that he will be fit for the other games in the hunt to win a third successive Six Nations Grand Slam at Under 20s level. 

The Loughmore native was left out of this Fridays game against Italy to allow time for the ankle to heal sufficiently. Richie Murphy named his squad for the Italy game and Luke Murphy replaces Gleeson at number eight.

Kick off is on Friday evening at 7.15pm in Virgin Media Park, Cork. Here is the starting team:

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. Stephen Smyth (Old Wesley RFC/Leinster)

3. Jacob Boyd (Queen’s University Belfast RFC/Ulster)

4. Alan Spicer (UCD RFC/Leinster)

5. Evan O’Connell (UL Bohemian RFC/Munster)(captain)

6. Joe Hopes (Queen’s University Belfast RFC/Ulster)

7. Bryn Ward (Ballynahinch RFC/Ulster)

8. Luke Murphy (Shannon RFC/Munster)

Replacements:

16. Danny Sheahan (Cork Constitution FC/Munster)

17. Ben Howard (Terenure College RFC/Leinster)

18. Patreece Bell (Sale Sharks/IQ Rugby)

19. Billy Corrigan (Old Wesley RFC/Leinster)

20. Sean Edogbo (UCC RFC/Munster)

21. Tadhg Brophy (Naas RFC/Leinster)

22. Sean Naughton (Galway Corinthians RFC/Connacht)

23. Ethan Graham (Ballynahinch RFC/Ulster).