Ireland coach Declan Kidney has kept faith with the team that beat France last weekend, naming an unchanged side for this Sunday’s RBS 6 Nations Championship clash with Italy at Stadio Flaminio in Rome (kick-off 3.30pm local time/2.30pm Irish time).
Both Paddy Wallace and Jerry Flannery have been passed fit after picking up injuries in the France game and take up their positions at centre and hooker.
Team captain Brian O’Driscoll will be earning his 90th cap in the Italy game and prop John Hayes will equal the Irish cap record of 91 appearances of his fellow squad member Malcolm O’Kelly.
Winger Tommy Bowe will be picking up his 20th cap while Geordan Murphy could pick up his 60th cap if he makes an appearence off the bench on Sunday.
IRELAND TEAM & REPLACEMENTS (v Italy, 2009 RBS 6 Nations Championship, Stadio Flaminio, Sunday, February 15, kick-off 3.30pm local time/2.30pm Irish time):
15 – Robert Kearney (UCD – Leinster)
14 – Tommy Bowe (Ospreys)
13 – Brian O’Driscoll (UCD – Leinster) (capt)
12 – Paddy Wallace (Ballymena – Ulster)
11 – Luke Fitzgerald (Blackrock College – Leinster)
10 – Ronan O’Gara (Cork Constitution – Munster)
9 – Tomas O’Leary (Dolphin – Munster)
1 – Marcus Horan (Shannon – Munster)
2 – Jerry Flannery (Shannon – Munster)
3 – John Hayes (Bruff- Munster)
4 – Donncha O’Callaghan (Cork Constitution – Munster)
5 – Paul O’Connell (Young Munster – Munster)
6 – Stephen Ferris (Dungannon – Ulster)
7 – David Wallace (Garryowen – Munster)
8 – Jamie Heaslip (Naas – Leinster)
Replacements:
16 – Rory Best (Banbridge – Ulster)
17 – Tom Court (Malone – Ulster)
18 – Malcolm O’Kelly (St. Mary’s College – Leinster)
19 – Denis Leamy (Cork Constitution – Munster)
20 – Peter Stringer (Shannon – Munster)
21 – Gordon D’Arcy (Lansdowne – Leinster)
22 – Geordan Murphy (Leicester)
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