Ireland Team To Play New Zealand
The Ireland team to play New Zealand in the second game of the GUINNESS Series 2008 has been named. Coach Declan Kidney has made six changes to the side which beat Canada 55-0 in the opening game.
The Ireland team to play New Zealand shows six changes from the side which opened the GUINNESS Series with a 55-0 victory over Canada at Thomond Park last Saturday.
Girvan Dempsey comes into the starting line-up at full-back and Tomas O’Leary is selected to start his first international at scrum half, having previously come on as a replacement against Argentina on the 2007 summer tour.
Both Keith Earls and Eoin Reddan revert to the replacements bench after starting last weekend.
The remaining four changes are all in the pack with Rory Best and John Hayes starting at hooker and prop respectively following their introduction as replacements last week.
The back row combination also sees changes with Alan Quinlan and David Wallace, who were both try scoring replacements against Canada, starting on either side of the scrum.
The team will be captained by Brian O’Driscoll for the 50th time.
* The IRFU will hold a minute’s silence prior to the Ireland v New Zealand match at Croke Park this Saturday as a mark of respect for the recent death of Garryowen club member Shane Geoghegan.
The IRFU will also be represented at the funeral of Mr. Geoghegan by IRFU President John Lyons.
IRELAND TEAM & REPLACEMENTS (v New Zealand, GUINNESS Series 2008, Croke Park, Saturday, November 15, kick-off 5.15pm):
15 – Girvan Dempsey (Terenure College/Leinster)
14 – Tommy Bowe (Ospreys)
13 – Brian O’Driscoll (UCD/Leinster) (capt)
12 – Luke Fitzgerald (Blackrock College/Leinster)
11 – Rob Kearney (UCD/Leinster)
10 – Ronan O’Gara (Cork Constitution/Munster)
9 – Tomas O’Leary (Dolphin/Munster)
1 – Marcus Horan (Shannon/Munster)
2 – Rory Best (Banbridge/Ulster)
3 – John Hayes (Bruff/Munster)
4 – Donncha O’Callaghan (Cork Constitution/Munster)
5 – Paul O’Connell (Young Munster/Munster)
6 – Alan Quinlan (Shannon/Munster)
7 – David Wallace (Garryowen/Munster)
8 – Jamie Heaslip (Naas/Leinster)
Replacements:
16 – Jerry Flannery (Shannon/Munster)
17 – Tony Buckley (Shannon/Munster)
18 – Stephen Ferris (Dungannon/Ulster)
19 – Shane Jennings (St. Mary’s College/Leinster)
20 – Eoin Reddan (London Wasps)
21 – Paddy Wallace (Ballymena/Ulster)
22 – Keith Earls (Young Munster/Munster)