PHIL HOY heads into tonight's clash with Ireland in Athlone admitting there is little room for error when you are a second row with Nigel Redman as your coach.

The Northampton Saints Academy player gets his third start - in partnership with Bristol Rugby's Dave Attwood - for England Under-20s at Dubarry Park (7.30pm)

And the 19-year-old knows that with former Bath, England and British Lions international Redman at the helm, he is in expert hands when it comes to the finer arts of lock play.

Hoy, a former pupil of Colston's Collegiate School in Bristol, said: "There is slightly added pressure. He knows everything about the position so if you have not done anything quite right he is going to know. You know you can't make any excuses - not that I would anyway - and you really have to focus on the specifics."

For his first away trip with an England representative team, Hoy appears relaxed and assured - largely helped by following in the footsteps of Martin Johnson and spending a summer (2005) in New Zealand.

"I went over there on a three-month exchange programme and played for a team called St Patrick's Silverstream," said Hoy. "It's slightly higher than the level of our schoolboy rugby and we played some tough games. The back play is probably a bit more technical in England but in the forwards it's more physical in New Zealand.

"But the rugby was only a small part of the trip. I stayed with a Samoan family and did a lot of things outside rugby. I think those kind of experiences help you gain a bit more confidence. When you  go on trips like this one, you are not afraid of the unknown."

Redman, whose side trained at Dubarry Park tonight, has certainly a clear idea of what he wants from his locks, saying; "I think the second row needs to operate like a back row forward who can win his ball in the line-out and push in his scrum.

"I am very passionate about the position and I think it's the best on the field. It encompasses everything - the power and the strength of the scrum and the athleticism in the line-out but also the second rows should be able to get around, be street-wise in the breakdown but also carry the ball and make those tackles."

With two home wins in the bag, against Scotland Under-20s (31-5) and Italy Under-21s (30-10) at Bath, England, who like the other Home Unions are fielding an Under-20s team, are on course to successfully defend their Six Nations Under-21s title.             

But Redman warned: "Irish rugby is on a high at the moment, from Under-19s through to the first team, and we have to make sure that we are 100 per cent focused and prepared for what will come. One of the nice things about playing at Bath was although we had no Bath players, the crowd got right behind the team and gave us some really good support and I am convinced that the people of Athlone will do exactly the same for the Irish.    

"We are looking to first and foremost play our game and that is threatening sides with ball in hand, pressurising people and using the ball intelligently. Our game is based around decision-making. It's something that both Mark (Mapletoft, assistant coach) and myself are passionate about - giving the guys the opportunity to play rather than us making the decision for them. That is something we have been doing in the National Academy with the Under-19s and now the Under-20s for the last couple of years."

England Under-20s
15  David Doherty (London Wasps)
14  Ollie Dodge (Leicester Tigers)
13  Tom Youngs (Leicester Tigers)
12  Adam Powell (Saracens)
11  Selorm Kuadey (Sale Sharks)
10  Seb Jewell (NEC Harlequins)
9  Danny Care (capt, NEC Harlequins)
1  Charlie Beech (Northampton Saints)
2  Matt Mullan (Worcester Warriors)
3  Tom Mercey (Saracens)
4  Dave Attwood (Bristol Rugby)
5  Phil Hoy (Northampton Saints)
6  Alex Shaw (Leicester Tigers)
7  Chevvy Pennycook (Bristol Rugby)
8  David Tait (Sale Sharks)
Replacements
16  Tom Standfield (London Irish)
17  Dan Cole (Leicester Tigers)
18  Matt Cox (Worcester Warriors)
19  Hugo Ellis (London Wasps)
20  Richard Bolt (Exeter Chiefs)
21  Frankie Neale (Saracens)
22  Jordan Turner-Hall (NEC Harlequins)   

England Under-20s fixtures
Friday February 2 England U20s 31 Scotland U-20s 5, Recreation Ground, Bath
Friday February 9 England U20s 30  Italy U-21s 10, Bath, 8pm
Friday February 23 v Ireland U-20s Athlone, 7.30pm 
Friday March 9 v France U-21s Northampton, 7.30pm (live on SkySports)
Friday March 16 v Wales U-20s Newport, 7.40pm