Tributes paid to Munster Rugby's Greig Oliver as Ireland U20s reach World Cup semi-finals

THE Ireland U20 side secured their passage into a first World Rugby U-20 Championship semi-final since 2016 after securing a 47-27 bonus point win over Fiji in Stellenbosch on a hugely emotional day.

The final day of the pool stages was shrouded in sadness for the Ireland U-20s, following the death of Limerick scrum half Jack Oliver's father Greig in a paragliding accident in Cape Town on Monday.

Jack Oliver had been due to be among the Ireland U20 replacements for the game, but his place on the bench was taken by Paddy McCarthy.

Ireland wore black armbands as a mark of respect to the late Greig Oliver, who worked as an Elite Performance Officer at Munster Rugby. A moment's silence was also observed before the anthems were played before kick-off.

In a moving gesture before kick-off, Fiji captain Moti Murray presented a jersey to Diarmuid Mangan, Ireland's stand-in skipper, as a mark of respect.

Ireland, who scored seven tries in all, led the game 26-12 at half-time. Garryowen FC and Munster Rugby player Brian Gleeson scored two of those tries.

The Ireland U20 starting line-up also included UL-Bohemian and Munster Rugby second-row Evan O'Connell, while Max Clein, of Garryowen FC and Munster, was introduced off the replacements' bench win his first Ireland U-20 cap. 

Ireland U20s finished top of Pool B after England and Australia drew 22-22 also on Tuesday.

IRELAND U-20: Henry McErlean (Terenure College RFC/Leinster); James Nicholson (UCD RFC/Leinster), Sam Berman (Dublin University FC/Leinster), John Devine (Galway Corinthians RFC/Connacht), Andrew Osborne (Naas RFC/Leinster); Matthew Lynch (Dublin University FC/Leinster), Oscar Cawley (Naas RFC/Leinster); George Hadden (Clontarf FC/Leinster), Danny Sheahan (UCC RFC/Munster), Fiachna Barrett (Galway Corinthians RFC/Connacht), Evan O'Connell (UL Bohemian RFC/Munster), Joe Hopes (Queen's University Belfast RFC/Ulster), Diarmuid Mangan (UCD RFC/Leinster) (capt), Dan Barron (Dublin University FC/Leinster), Brian Gleeson (Garryowen FC/Munster).

Replacements used: Sam Prendergast (Lansdowne FC/Leinster) for McErlean (50 mins), Gus McCarthy (UCD RFC/Leinster) for Sheahan, Paddy McCarthy (Dublin University FC/Leinster) for Hadden, Ronan Foxe (Old Belvedere RFC/Leinster) for Barrett, Charlie Irvine (Queen's University Belfast RFC/Ulster) for Gleeson (all 53 mins), Hugh Gavin (Galwegians RFC/Connacht) for Devine (61 mins), Max Clein (Garryowen FC/Munster) for Barron (69 mins).