IRELAND XV v FIJI, Thomond Park, 5.30pm (live RTÉ Two/BBC Two)
Team News: The Ireland XV to play Fiji at Thomond Park includes three uncapped players alongside a number of new faces from the GUINNESS Series squad.
Mike Ross, Conor Murray and newly-appointed captain Jamie Heaslip have been retained from the Ireland team that started against South Africa last weekend.
Former Ireland Under-20 international Paddy Jackson will partner Murray at half-back with his Ulster colleagues Luke Marshall and Darren Cave forming the centre partnership outside him.
The back-three comprises of the uncapped Craig Gilroy on the left wing with Fergus McFadden on the right and Denis Hurley at full-back.
David Kilcoyne, who won his first cap last weekend, will pack down alongside Sean Cronin and Ross in the front row, while Dan Tuohy and the 89-times capped Donncha O’Callaghan will link up in the second row.
Heaslip anchors the scrum with Iain Henderson, a debutant as a replacement against the Springboks, and John Muldoon taking the blindside and openside flanker berths respectively.
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Meanwhile, Fiji head coach Inoke Male has announced his starting line-up and replacements for the non-cap international against an Ireland XV at Thomond Park.
From the Fijian side that lost 54-12 to England at Twickenham, there are five personnel changes and three positional switches.
Centre Josh Matavesi and out-half Jonetani Ralulu come into the tourists’ back-line, with Metuisela Talebula and Simeli Koniferedi moving positions to full-back and the right wing respectively.
Jerry Yanuyanutawa replaces Ratu Makutu at loosehead prop in an otherwise unchanged front row, with captain Deacon Manu from the Scarlets on the tighthead side of the scrum.
Api Naikatini shifts from blindside flanker to the second row, while Iliesa Ratuva and Nemani Nagusa have been added to the back row.
Fiji head coach Inoke Male has included five British-based players from the off – Worcester’s Matavesi and Vereniki Govena of Leicester in the centre, Glasgow Warriors scrum half Nikola Matawalu and props Yanuyanutawa (London Irish) and Manu.
Goneva, Matavesi, hooker Viliame Veikoso and lock Leone Nakawara are the only survivors from the Fijian team that lost 41-6 to Ireland at the RDS three years ago.
IRELAND XV: Denis Hurley (Dolphin/Munster); Fergus McFadden (Old Belvedere/Leinster), Darren Cave (Belfast Harlequins/Ulster), Luke Marshall (Ballymena/Ulster), Craig Gilroy (Dungannon/Ulster); Paddy Jackson (Dungannon/Ulster), Conor Murray (Garryowen/Munster); David Kilcoyne (UL Bohemians/Munster), Sean Cronin (St. Mary’s College/Leinster), Mike Ross (Clontarf/Leinster), Donncha O’Callaghan (Cork Constitution/Munster), Dan Tuohy (Ballymena/Ulster), Iain Henderson (Ballynahinch/Ulster), John Muldoon (Galwegians/Connacht), Jamie Heaslip (Naas/Leinster) (capt).
Replacements: Richardt Strauss (Old Wesley/Leinster), Cian Healy (Clontarf/Leinster), Michael Bent (Leinster), Mike McCarthy (Buccaneers/Connacht), Chris Henry (Malone/Ulster), Paul Marshall (Belfast Harlequins/Ulster), Jonathan Sexton (St. Mary’s College/Leinster), Simon Zebo (Cork Constitution/Munster).
FIJI: Metuisela Talebula (Bordeaux Begles); Simeli Koniferedi (Nadroga), Vereniki Govena (Leicester Tigers), Josh Matavesi (Worcester Warriors), Watisoni Votu (Lautoka); Jonetani Ralulu (Nadroga), Nikola Matawalu (Glasgow Warriors); Jerry Yanuyanutawa (London Irish), Viliame Veikoso (Suva), Deacon Manu (Scarlets) (capt), Leone Nakarawa (Tailevu), Api Naikatini (Toyota Verblitz), Iliesa Ratuva (Nadroga), Malakai Ravulo (North Harbour), Nemani Nagusa (Nadroga).
Replacements: Tuapati Talemaitoga (Southland), Manasa Saulo (Suva), Setefano Somoca (Nadroga), Apisalome Ratuniyarawa (North Harbour), Jovili Domolailai (Pau), Kelemedi Bola (Lautoka), Saula Radidi (Tailevu)/Ravai Fatiaki (Worcester Warriors), Timoci Matanavou (Toulouse).
Referee: Leighton Hodges (Wales)
Assistant Referees: Neil Hennessy, Sean Brickell (both Wales)
Television Match Official: Gareth Simmonds (Wales)
Match Odds (Paddy Power): Ireland XV to win: 1/66; Draw: 66/1; Fiji to win: 14/1
Pre-Match Quotes: John Muldoon (Ireland XV) – “It’s billed as a non-Test game but we haven’t looked at it like that all week. There are young guys getting their first chance to wear an Irish jersey.
“They certainly aren’t looking at it as a non-Test game, despite being billed that way for whatever reason. But we want to go out and play well, have good structure in the game and enjoy ourselves.
“It will be a good game. We know it will. We’re not going to get bogged down into throwing the ball around the place like Fiji.
“We’ve our own structures and plans for the game. It’s important that we stick to those and don’t see it as a friendly or a non-Test game. We want to win, impose our game.”
Deacon Manu (Fiji) – “Although it’s an uncapped match, we’re still representing our country and that is a huge honour. There are opportunities for guys to put hands up and cement a place for the following week.
“We go into it as any international so we don’t get influenced by the team in front of us or the size of the venue or the size of the crowd, we’re just there to get things right for us moving forward.”
“(Beating Ireland) would be huge for the guys, it would be our first win on tour. However, Ireland might be inexperienced in international terms but they have vast experience, more than our guys, in the top level such as the Heineken Cup.”
Pre-Match Links –
Opportunity Knocks For Jackson And Gilroy
Kidney: It’s A Vote Of Confidence In Players
Bright Prospect Wants To Show ‘Killer’ Instinct
Irish Rugby TV: Fergus McFadden
Previous Test Meetings –
November 18, 1995 – Tour Match – Ireland 44 Fiji 8, Lansdowne Road
November 17, 2002 – Tour Match – Ireland 64 Fiji 17, Lansdowne Road
November 21, 2009 – Tour Match – Ireland 41 Fiji 6, the RDS
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