Ireland Team to Play Australia

There are three changes on the Ireland team to play Australia in the concluding Pool A, Rugby World Cup qualifying match at the Telstra Dome (8.35 pm local time) on Saturday next, November 1st, compared to the selected team which defeated Argentina by 16 – 15 last Sunday.

At out-half, Ronan O’Gara replaces David Humphreys; at N0. 7, Keith Gleeson comes in for the injured Alan Quinlan and Anthony Foley, not considered because of injury against Namibia and Argentina, returns at N0. 8 in place of Victor Costello.

Costello (thigh) was the only player not considered because of injury.

Peter Stringer will equal the most capped record by a scrum half, held by Michael Bradley (1984 – 1995) by playing in his 40th Test against Australia.

-Ireland’s record against Australia is: Played 22, Won 7, Drawn 0, Lost 15, Points for – 281, Points against – 446.

The Ireland team to play Australia is:

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 – Keith Gleeson (Leinster – St. Mary’s College)

8 – Anthony Foley (Munster – Shannon)

Replacements:

16 – Shane Byrne (Leinster – Blackrock College)

17 – Marcus Horan (Munster – Shannon)

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

19 – Eric Miller (Leinster – Terenure College)

20 – Guy Easterby (Rotherham)

21 – David Humphreys (Ulster – Dungannon)

22 – John Kelly (Munster – Cork Constitution)