John Muldoon (pic) and Sean Cronin are heading down-under this summer and that news was augmented somewhat yesterday when Gavin Duffy was given a starting role for Ireland’s clash with the Barbarians this Friday in Limerick alongside the two traveling squad members.

Then on Saturday night in the Sante Fe city of Rosario – which is three and a half hours north east of Buenos Aires – Eoin Griffin and Tiernan O’Halloran will start for the Irish Under 20 World Cup squad against France.

The two worked their way into the starting line up over the course of the six nations and are now established first choice members of an exciting back line. The game is live on Setanta on Saturday evening at 5pm.

But back to Friday again where Duffy will start at 13 rather than his natural full back roll where he has been in superb form for Connacht.

Rob Kearney has that position and many will feel that Duffy is unlucky not to be traveling with Kearney to the southern Hemisphere as on form, he is the clear choice for back up.

For Muldoon and Cronin the game will be an important chance to shine and stake a claim for a place in the side that faces the Maroi’s in game two. While first test places are not guaranteed either, their best hope of exposure seems to be in the Hamilton game. .

IRELAND UNDER-20 Team & Replacements (v France, Junior World Championship, Estadio El Coloso del Parque, Saturday, June 5, kick-off 6.00pm):

15 - Andrew Conway (Blackrock College/Leinster)
14 - Tiernan O’Halloran (Galwegians/Connacht)
13 - Eoin Griffin (Corinthians/Connacht)
12 - Nevin Spence (Ballynahinch/Ulster)
11 - Simon Zebo (Cork Constitution/Munster)
10 - James McKinney (Queen’s University/Ulster)
9 - John Cooney (UCD/Leinster)
1 - Jack O’Connell (Lansdowne/Leinster)
2 - Niall Annett (Belfast Harlequins/Ulster)
3 - Stewart Maguire (Old Belvedere/Leinster)
4 - David O’Callaghan (UCC/Munster)
5 - Ben Marshall (UCD/Leinster)
6 - Rhys Ruddock (UCD/Leinster) (capt)
7 - Dominic Ryan (Lansdowne/Leinster)
8 - Patrick Butler (Shannon/Munster)

Replacements:

16 - David Doyle (UCD/Leinster)
17 - Bryan Cagney (UCC/Munster)
18 - Brian Hayes (Cork Constitution/Munster)
19 - Brian O’Hara (UL Bohemians/Munster)
20 - Michael Heaney (Belfast Harlequins/Ulster)
21 - Noel Reid (UCD/Leinster)
22 - Darren Hudson (St. Mary’s College/Leinster)

TV Coverage of U-20 games is on Setanta Sports

05 Jun -France v Ireland – Estadio El Coloso del Parque, Rosario – 18:00
09 Jun -England v Ireland – Estadio El Coloso del Parque, Rosario – 18:00
13 Jun – Argentina v Ireland – Estadio El Coloso del Parque, Rosario -20:00