Ireland Team To Play New Zealand

The selected team shows three changes, two in the backs and one in the pack, to the side that took to the pitch for last weekend’s second Test in Christchurch.

Paddy Wallace, who was called out as a replacement for the tour after Gordon D’Arcy returned home injured, goes straight into the side at inside centre in place of D’Arcy.

Keith Earls has recovered from the chest injury he picked up in the first Test and is selected on the left wing in place of Andrew Trimble, who moves to the replacements.

Peter O’Mahony, who came off the bench during the second Test, has been chosen to start at number 8 as Jamie Heaslip is ruled out due to a broken finger.

Ulster back rower Chris Henry comes into the matchday squad to fill the bench spot left after O’Mahony’s promotion to the starting line-up.

All three New Zealand v Ireland Tests will kick off at 7.35pm local time/8.35am Irish time. Sky Sports will have live TV coverage of the games, while they will also be broadcast live on RTÉ Radio 1 (DAB, LW 252 and RTÉ.ie).

IRELAND Team & Replacements (v New Zealand, Steinlager Series, Waikato Stadium, Hamilton, Saturday, June 23, kick-off 7.35pm local time/8.35am Irish time):

15 – Rob Kearney (UCD/Leinster)
14 – Fergus McFadden (Old Belvedere/Leinster)
13 – Brian O’Driscoll (UCD/Leinster) (capt)
12 – Paddy Wallace (Ballymena/Ulster)
11 – Keith Earls (Young Munster/Munster)
10 – Jonathan Sexton (St. Mary’s College/Leinster)
9 – Conor Murray (Garryowen/Munster)
1 – Cian Healy (Clontarf/Leinster)
2 – Rory Best (Banbridge/Ulster)
3 – Mike Ross (Clontarf/Leinster)
4 – Dan Tuohy (Ballymena/Ulster)
5 – Donnacha Ryan (Shannon/Munster)
6 – Kevin McLaughlin (St. Mary’s College/Leinster)
7 – Sean O’Brien (Clontarf/Leinster)
8 – Peter O’Mahony (Cork Constitution/Munster)

Replacements:

16 – Sean Cronin (St. Mary’s College/Leinster)
17 – Declan Fitzpatrick (Dungannon/Ulster)
18 – Donncha O’Callaghan (Cork Constitution/Munster)
19 – Chris Henry (Ballymena/Ulster)
20 – Eoin Reddan (Lansdowne/Leinster)
21 – Ronan O’Gara (Cork Constitution/Munster)
22 – Andrew Trimble (Ballymena/Ulster)

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