Both sides are looking for a third consecutive victory to bolster their Six Nations standings after wins over Scotland and Italy.
It is a crunch fixture for both sides, with success tonight turning next weekend’s home matches against France into showdowns for a top two finish.
Wales U20 Head Coach Patrick Horgan has made a string of changes for the match with one eye on developing his squad for the forthcoming IRB Junior World Championship in Wales, but he is confident he has enough strength in depth to compete with the Irish.
Horgan said: “Our selection policy throughout this Six Nations campaign is to give everyone a fair chance at staking a claim for a place in the Wales squad for the Junior World Championship in June.
“Ireland, like us, have recorded home wins over Scotland and Italy and will be looking to build on those results. They are very powerful up front and have an excellent scrum.
“It’s important we get a win away from home to see the quality we’ve got in this squad, while also trying to develop the group of players for the forthcoming World Championship.”
For Wales Women Head Coach Jason Lewis, this match will give a vital indication of his side’s current position in northern hemisphere rugby with qualification for the 2010 Rugby World Cup around the corner.
Lewis commented, “This is the critical game for us. Our final game against France will be irrelevant if we lose this one, given what we’ve achieved to date. Both Ireland and ourselves have won two, lost one so far this season so it is crunch time for both sides.
“We have won our last two encounters against Ireland but they were narrow victories and Ireland are an improving side so there will be no complacency and I imagine it will be a very competitive match. It will certainly be a defining game for our Six Nations campaign.”
Lewis’s side is bolstered with the return of the experienced flanker Jamie Kift, whilst Rachel Taylor replaces the injured Gemma Hallett in the second row and Louise Horgan starts at loose head with Jenny Davies moving to the tight head spot.
Wales Women v Ireland (Friday 7 March, 7.30pm, St Marys, Dublin):
Non Evans (Clifton); Louise Rickard (Woodbridge), Naomi Thomas (Clifton), Clare Flowers (Clifton), Hayley Baxter (Cardiff Quins); Rachel Poolman (UWIC), Amy Day (UWIC); Louise Horgan (Saracens), Rhian Bowden (Clifton), Jenny Davies (Waterloo), Rachel Taylor (Cardiff Quins), Claire Donovan (Saracens), Catrina Nicholas (Bath Ladies), Jamie Kift (Clifton), Mel Berry (capt, Clifton)
Replacements: Claire Horgan (Lichfield), Ruth Evans (Waterloo), Nicola Evans (Wasps), Jenny Doyle (Bath Ladies), Laura Prosser (Pontyclun), Bethan Walsh (Wasps), Michaela Reed (Birchgrove)
Wales U20 v Ireland, Friday 7 March, 7.35pm, Dubarry Park, Athlone:
Daniel Evans (Scarlets); Leigh Halfpenny (Blues), Jonathan Davies (Scarlets), Gareth Owen (Ospreys), Nathan Rees (Blues); Daniel Biggar (Ospreys), Rhys Webb (Ospreys); Ryan Bevington (Ospreys), Rhys Lawrence (Ospreys), Patrick Palmer (Blues), Jevon Groves (capt, Blues), Haydn Pugh (Scarlets), Josh Turnbull (Scarlets), Nicholas Cudd (Scarlets), Lloyd Phillips (Scarlets)
Replacements: Sam Hobbs (Blues), Ryan Prosser (Bristol Academy), Scott Andrews (Blues), Ashley Sweet (Dragons), Justin Tipuric (Ospreys), Luke Evans (Blues), Rhys Williams (Scarlets)
