Opportunity Knocks

The five changes from the opener, see Ronan O’Gara at fly-half, the return
of John Hayes to the front-row and an all new back-row – Simon Easterby,
Alan Quinlan and Eric Miller – with players hoping to stake a claim for inclusion
in the games ahead.

O’Gara returns to the starting line-up for the first time since the summer
tour when he played against Samoa and Tonga while his Munster
colleague John Hayes played as a second half replacement against Romania
in his first international outing since the English Six Nations game earlier
this year.

Eric Miller suffered a horrific head injury in the summer tour game
against Tonga but made a remarkable recovery to play an outstanding role
against Samoa a week later. He sees this game against Namibia
as an opportunity to stake a claim in the side for the games ahead.

“It’s great to get this chance. For those of us coming in, it doesn’t matter
who we’re playing, whether it’s Namibia, Argentina or anybody. It’s a chance
to perform.

“But at the same time I think personally it’s important to stay relaxed and
not try too hard because then you can come unstuck in this kind of situation.
So just go out do your own job and hopefully get a few runs with the ball. Make
a few tackles, get a rub of the green in that sense.

” I think the fact that Eddie has picked a very strong team apart from the
changes, means that the players who have come in are there or thereabouts as
regards selection.

” You’ve got to believe you have a chance, if you pull out a really big performance,
to get in for the Adelaide games. At the same time it a long tournament so you’ve
gotta just keep your head on the swivel. But this is the chance this weekend
and I’m hoping to take it.”

Go to www.munsterrugby.ie
to see Tom Felle’s interview with Ronan O’Gara.

Ireland

15 – Girvan Dempsey (Leinster – Terenure College);

14 – Shane Horgan (Leinster – Lansdowne)

13 – Brian O’Driscoll (Leinster – Blackrock College)

12 – Kevin Maggs (Bath)

11 – Denis Hickie (Leinster – St. Mary’s College)

10 – Ronan O’Gara (Munster – Cork Constitution)

9 – Peter Stringer (Munster – Shannon);

1 – Reggie Corrigan (Leinster – Greystones)

2 – Keith Wood (Munster – Garryowen) Captain

3 – John Hayes (Munster – Shannon)

4 – Malcolm O’Kelly (Leinster – St. Mary’s College)

5 – Paul O’Connell (Munster – Young Munster)

6 – Simon Easterby (Llanelli)

7 – Alan Quinlan (Munster – Shannon)

8 – Eric Miller (Leinster – Terenure College)

Replacements:

16 – Shane Byrne (Leinster – Blackrock College)

17 – Marcus Horan (Munster – Shannon)

18 – Donnacha O’Callaghan (Munster – Cork Constitution)

19 – Victor Costello (Leinster – St. Mary’s College)

20 – Guy Easterby (Rotherham)

21 – David Humphreys (Ulster – Dungannon)

22 – John Kelly (Munster – Cork Constitution)