Ireland Select Today, England Make One Change

The Ireland starting line up and replacements will be announced at lunchtime today following an open training session at Dr Hickey Park, Greystones RFC at 11.30 a.m. With the exception of Keith Wood, coach Eddie O’Sullivan has a full squad to pick from while his counterpart Clive Woodward makes just one change from the side that defeated Scotland.

Despite being sidelined for over a month, Phil Vickery returns to the front row at the expense of Julian White.

There are nine changes from the team which lost to Ireland in the autumn international, six in the pack where Ireland will be facing a completely changed tight five.

Martin Johnson retains the captaincy despite the controversy of last weekend when the Leicester lock was caught on TV punching Saracen hooker Robbie Russell and there is a place on the bench for his club colleague Lewis Moody, recentlly cleared of a stamping charge brought by Leinster for an incident in the Heineken Cup.

England. Jason Robinson (Sale); Austin Healey (Leicester), Will Greenwood (Harlequins), Mike Tindall (Bath), Ben Cohen (Northampton); Jonny Wilkinson (Newcastle), Kyran Bracken (Saracens); Joe Worsley (Wasps), Neil Back (Leicester), Richard Hill (Saracens); Ben Kay (Leicester), Martin Johnson (Leicester, capt); Phil Vickery (Gloucester), Steve Thompson (Northampton), Graham Rowntree (Leicester Tigers).

Replacements: Dorian West (Leicester), Jason Leonard (Harlequins), Danny Grewcock (Bath), Lewis Moody (Leicester), Nick Duncombe (Harlequins), Charlie Hodgson (Sale), Iain Balshaw (Bath)