Ireland Team To Play Wales

The Ireland team to play Wales in the RBS 6 Nations Championship this Saturday in Cardiff shows three changes to the starting line-up from the side’s last outing against Scotland.

Jerry Flannery returns to the starting hooker’s position after featuring as a second half replacement against Scotland for his fourth start of the championship, with Rory Best reverting to the bench for the game.

Jamie Heaslip, who made a try scoring appearance when coming on for Denis Leamy, also returns to the starting team with Leamy also reverting to the replacements.

The final change is at scrum half. Tomas O’Leary comes back into the side, swapping places with Peter Stringer.

IRELAND TEAM & REPLACEMENTS (v Wales, 2009 RBS 6 Nations Championship, Millennium Stadium, Saturday, March 21, kick-off 5.30pm):

15 – Robert Kearney (UCD – Leinster)

14 – Tommy Bowe (Ospreys)

13 – Brian O’Driscoll (UCD – Leinster) Captain

12 – Gordon D’Arcy (Lansdowne – Leinster)

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 – Mick O’Driscoll (Cork Constitution – Munster)
19 – Denis Leamy (Cork Constitution – Munster)
20 – Peter Stringer (Shannon – Munster)
21 – Paddy Wallace (Ballymena – Ulster)
22 – Geordan Murphy (Leicester)