Ireland Team To Play Argentina
The Ireland team to play Argentina in the final game of the GUINNESS Series has been named. The selected side contains one new cap in Ulster winger Craig Gilroy.
Craig Gilroy comes in to win his first full cap on the left wing after impressing in last Saturday’s non-cap international against Fiji at Thomond Park.
The Ulster youngster will team up in a back-three that includes Simon Zebo at full-back, winning his third cap, and the 50-times capped Tommy Bowe on the right wing.
Gordon D’Arcy and Keith Earls will continue their centre partnership, while Jonathan Sexton has recovered from the tight groin he suffered in the warm-up for the Fiji game and starts once more in the number 10 jersey.
Sexton, who is now fifth on the list of Ireland’s record points scorers, is just two points off notching up 250 Test points for his country.
The forwards selection is the same that lined out for the opening game of the GUINNESS Series against South Africa, with Richardt Strauss winning his second full cap in the front row.
Among the replacements, second row Donncha O’Callaghan could make his 90th appearance for his country if he is called into action.
The team will be captained by number 8 Jamie Heaslip for the third consecutive game in this month’s Series.
IRELAND Team & Replacements (v Argentina, 2012 GUINNESS Series, Aviva Stadium, Saturday, November 24, kick-off 2pm):
15 – Simon Zebo (Cork Constitution/Munster/2 caps)
14 – Tommy Bowe (Belfast Harlequins/Ulster/50)
13 – Keith Earls (Young Munster/Munster/33)
12 – Gordon D’Arcy (Lansdowne/Leinster/70)
11 – Craig Gilroy (Dungannon/Ulster) *
10 – Jonathan Sexton (St. Mary’s College/Leinster/33)
9 – Conor Murray (Garryowen/Munster/13)
1 – Cian Healy (Clontarf/Leinster/34)
2 – Richardt Strauss (Old Wesley/Leinster/1)
3 – Mike Ross (Clontarf/Leinster/23)
4 – Donnacha Ryan (Shannon/Munster/22)
5 – Mike McCarthy (Buccaneers/Connacht/5)
6 – Peter O’Mahony (Cork Constitution/Munster/8)
7 – Chris Henry (Malone/Ulster/3)
8 – Jamie Heaslip (Naas/Leinster/51) (capt)
Replacements:
16 – Sean Cronin (St. Mary’s College/Leinster/22)
17 – David Kilcoyne (UL Bohemians/Munster/1)
18 – Michael Bent (Leinster/1)
19 – Donncha O’Callaghan (Cork Constitution/Munster/89)
20 – Iain Henderson (Ballynahinch/Ulster/1)
21 – Eoin Reddan (Lansdowne/Leinster/46)
22 – Ronan O’Gara (Cork Constitution/Munster/125)
23 – Fergus McFadden (Old Belvedere/Leinster/15)
* Denotes uncapped player
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