Ireland XV To Play New Zealand Maori

Geordan Murphy will captain Ireland for the first time when he leads out the side for their summer tour match against the New Zealand Maori team in Rotorua this Friday (kick-off 7.35pm local time/8.35am Irish time).

Shane Horgan comes into the side on the right wing alongside Gavin Duffy, Paddy Wallace and Johne Murphy, all of whom were involved in the game against the Barbarians at the start of the tour.

Leinster duo Jonathan Sexton and Eoin Reddan will form the half-back partnership.
 
There is a new front row combination with Marcus Horan and Tom Court on either side of John Fogarty, who won his first cap against New Zealand last Saturday.

Another debutant from that game, Dan Tuohy, will start against the Maori, partnering his Ulster colleague Ed O’Donoghue in the second row.
 
The freshly-arrived Rhys Ruddock will get his first senior start for Ireland in the back row alongside Niall Ronan and another uncapped player, Chris Henry.

The game against the Maori, like the match against the Barbarians, is not a capped international. It will be broadcast live on Sky Sports 1 on Friday, with coverage beginning at 8.30am. IrishRugby.ie will also be covering the game via O2 MatchDay Live.

IRELAND XV TEAM & REPLACEMENTS (v New Zealand Maori, Summer Tour Match, International Stadium, Rotorua, Friday, June 18, kick-off 7.35pm local time/8.35am Irish time):

15 – Geordan Murphy (Leicester Tigers) (capt)
14 – Shane Horgan (Boyne/Leinster)
13 – Gavin Duffy (Galwegians/Connacht)
12 – Paddy Wallace (Ballymena/Ulster)
11 – Johne Murphy (Leicester Tigers) *
10 – Jonathan Sexton (St. Mary’s College/Leinster)
9 – Eoin Reddan (Lansdowne/Leinster)
1 – Marcus Horan (Shannon/Munster)
2 – John Fogarty (De La Salle Palmerston/Leinster)
3 – Tom Court (Malone/Ulster)
4 – Ed O’Donoghue (Ballynahinch/Ulster) *
5 – Dan Tuohy (Ballymena/Ulster)
6 – Rhys Ruddock (UCD/Leinster) *
7 – Niall Ronan (Shannon/Munster)
8 – Chris Henry (Ballymena/Ulster) *