After winning his first Ireland U-20 rugby cap against France earlier this month, Portlaoise man Sean Masterson has been named to start on the Ireland U-19 team to face Japan this Saturday.
Masterson is one of the more experienced players on the side having played for Ireland at the higher age level this season.
The former Portlaoise man is in the Connacht Academy and is a younger brother of Eoghan who has played with the Connacht senior side.
The Japan U-19s are playing four matches in Ireland this month as part of the 60th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Ireland and Japan.
They lost 17-7 to Munster last week in Thomond Park in a game that saw Durrow’s Joe Murphy start on the bench for Munster. Murphy was scrum-half on the Clongowes team that reached the Leinster Senior Cup semi-final this season.
Japan beat Connacht 24-10 at the weekend and play Ulster tonight in Belfast.
The game against Ireland takes place this Saturday, March 25, at 4.30pm in Donnybrook.
