News article – Style E 3144

Ronan O’Gara retains the number 10 jersey, John Kelly as expected replaces the injured Denis Hickie (pictured) and Victor Costello is preferred to Anthony Foley for Sunday’s RWC quarter-final clash with France at Melbourne’s Telstra Dome..

Peter Stringer’s selection at scrum half for his 41st Test, makes him the most capped player in that position in Irish rugby history, surpassing the 40 caps gained by Michael Bradley (1984 – 1995).

15 – Girvan Dempsey (Leinster – Terenure College);

14 – Shane Horgan (Leinster – Lansdowne)

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

12 – Kevin Maggs (Bath)

11 – John Kelly (Munster – Cork Constitution)

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

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 – Anthony Horgan (Munster – Cork Constitution)

France: 15 Nicolas Brusque, 14 Aurilien Rougerie, 13 Tony Marsh, 12 Yannick Jauzion, 11 Christophe Dominici, 10 Fridiric Michalak, 9 Fabien Galthii (captain), 8 Imanol Harinordoquy, 7 Olivier Magne, 6 Serge Betsen, 5 Jerome Thion, 4 Fabien Pelous, 3 Sylvain Marconnet, 2 Raphael Ibanez, 1 Jean-Jacques Crenca.
Replacements: 16 Yannick Bru, 17 Olivier Milloud, 18 Olivier Brouzet, 19 Patrick Tabacco, 20 Girald Merceron, 21 Brian Liebenberg, 22 Pepito Elhorga.

Referee: Jonathan Kaplan (South Africa)

Touch judges: Chris White (England), Nigel Williams (Wales)
Television Match Official: Stuart Dickinson (Australia)
Assessor: Stuart Beissel (New Zealand)