Just days before head coach Joe Schmidt formally announces Ireland’s Rugby World Cup squad, the Six Nations champions welcome Wales to the Aviva Stadium for what is sure to be a keenly-contested Test match.
GUINNESS SUMMER SERIES TEST: Saturday, August 29
IRELAND v WALES, Aviva Stadium, 2.30pm (live Sky Sports 1/RTÉ Radio 1/IRFU Live Blog/highlights RTÉ Two (8pm))
Team News: The Ireland coaching team have announced the starting line-up for Saturday’s GUINNESS Summer Series showdown with Wales at the Aviva Stadium. Paul O’Connell returns to captain the side in his last international on home soil.
O’Connell is partnered in the second row by Iain Henderson. Jamie Heaslip starts at number 8 with Peter O’Mahony returning on the blindside flank and Jordi Murphy filling the openside berth.
The front row consists of Jack McGrath, Richardt Strauss and Nathan White, with the Connacht tighthead prop making his first international start having come off the bench against Scotland two weeks ago.
Conor Murray and Jonathan Sexton pair up at half-back with Robbie Henshaw and Luke Fitzgerald lining out together in midfield. It will be Fitzgerald’s first start at centre since November 2008’s win over Argentina.
The back-three consists of Keith Earls, a recent try scorer against Wales in Cardiff, and brothers Dave and Rob Kearney. Dave, who is back to full fitness, is set for his first start on the wing since the 2014 Six Nations title-clinching victory over France.
The selected replacements are Sean Cronin, Dave Kilcoyne, uncapped prop Tadhg Furlong, Donnacha Ryan, Sean O’Brien, Eoin Reddan, Paddy Jackson and Felix Jones.
With Ireland’s 31-man Rugby World Cup squad to be announced early next week, head coach Joe Schmidt said: “We’re still very open minded about whether players are playing back in their provinces this weekend.
“I know some of the players who play with their province are likely to be in the 31 and some of the players who are still with us are potentially going to miss out on the 31. That’s the nature of it.
“Those front row decisions, the conundrum around the scrum half/out-half, and an obvious place is the back-three, or even the back five. Any decisions that get made there will be based on performances this weekend. That’s a real pressure-cooker for players, but then again, that’s what the World Cup is going to be.”
Meanwhile, Alun Wyn Jones will lead Wales against Ireland in Dublin on Saturday in a side that sees Exeter Chiefs prop Tomas Francis make his international debut and George North reach the milestone of his 50th Wales cap.
The 23-year-old Francis will pack down in an experienced Wales team with Gethin Jenkins and Ken Owens joining him in the front row. Bradley Davies slots in alongside captain Alun Wyn Jones in the second-row.
British & Irish Lions trio Dan Lydiate, Justin Tipuric and Taulupe Faletau make up the back row unit.
Ospreys duo Rhys Webb and Dan Biggar continue their half-back partnership with Jamie Roberts and Scott Williams paired together midfield. George North, Alex Cuthbert and Leigh Halfpenny complete the back-line.
Ospreys trio Scott Baldwin, Paul James and Aaron Jarvis are named as front row replacements. They will be joined on the bench by Luke Charteris, James King. Gareth Davies, Rhys Priestland and Hallam Amos.
IRELAND: Rob Kearney (UCD/Leinster); Dave Kearney (Lansdowne/Leinster), Luke Fitzgerald (Blackrock College/Leinster), Robbie Henshaw (Buccaneers/Connacht), Keith Earls (Young Munster/Munster); Jonathan Sexton (St. Mary’s College/Leinster), Conor Murray (Garryowen/Munster); Jack McGrath (St. Mary’s College/Leinster), Richardt Strauss (Old Wesley/Leinster), Nathan White (Connacht), Iain Henderson (Ballynahinch/Ulster), Paul O’Connell (Young Munster/Munster) (capt), Peter O’Mahony (Cork Constitution/Munster), Jordi Murphy (Lansdowne/Leinster), Jamie Heaslip (Dublin University/Leinster).
Replacements: Sean Cronin (St. Mary’s College/Leinster), Dave Kilcoyne (UL Bohemians/Munster), Tadhg Furlong (Clontarf/Leinster), Donnacha Ryan (Shannon/Munster), Sean O’Brien (UCD/Leinster), Eoin Reddan (Old Crescent/Leinster), Paddy Jackson (Dungannon/Ulster), Felix Jones (Shannon/Munster).
WALES: Leigh Halfpenny (Toulon); Alex Cuthbert (Cardiff Blues), Scott Williams (Scarlets), Jamie Roberts (Harlequins), George North (Northampton Saints); Dan Biggar (Ospreys), Rhys Webb (Ospreys); Gethin Jenkins (Cardiff Blues), Ken Owens (Scarlets), Tomas Francis (Exeter Chiefs), Bradley Davies (Wasps), Alun Wyn Jones (Ospreys) (capt), Dan Lydiate (Ospreys), Justin Tipuric (Ospreys), Taulupe Faletau (Newport Gwent Dragons).
Replacements: Scott Baldwin (Ospreys), Paul James (Ospreys), Aaron Jarvis (Ospreys), Luke Charteris (Racing 92), James King (Ospreys), Gareth Davies (Scarlets), Rhys Priestland (Scarlets), Hallam Amos (Newport Gwent Dragons).
Referee: Craig Joubert (South Africa)
Assistant Referees: Wayne Barnes, Luke Pearce (both England)
Television Match Official: Graham Hughes (England)
Match Odds (Paddy Power): Ireland to win: 2/5; Draw: 19/1; Wales to win: 15/8
Pre-Match Quotes: Joe Schmidt (Ireland) – “We’re looking to potentially assemble here (at Carton House) to prepare for England at midday on Monday, it may be earlier than that depending on how we feel the group’s travelling. So obviously they have to have some idea before we assemble that they’re not in the 31-man World Cup squad. It will be that smaller group that comes together.
“How do you tell someone who has worked incredibly hard – and I know they’ve worked incredibly hard for the last eight, nine weeks and some of these players have worked very hard since the last World Cup and are desperately keen to be involved. You tell them as honestly as you can, that’s all you can do.
“What I like about our environment is that it’s very honest. Player-coach, coach-player. I think that’s the only way we can do it. You’d like to tell them face-to-face, but that’s probably not practical. It will probably be phone calls and, as a coach, it’s probably the least desirable part of my job.
“Once the 31 are in, you’re in the World Cup and there won’t be many sighs of relief, there will be apprehension about making sure that we can try to prepare as best we can, hoping that we don’t pick up injuries. I do think that the worst part of selection is not naming 31, it’s speaking with the 14 others. That’s the most difficult part.”
Neil Jenkins (Wales) – “It’s the first game of the season for most of the players and they will be looking forward to getting out there and showing what they are capable of doing.
“We know it’s going to be a big test, Ireland in Dublin always is. They have a great record over the last couple of years and it’s a big, big Test match. You can feel the excitement within the squad, the way they have trained, and we’re looking for a very good performance.
“Going into a match like this is never easy. Most seasons players get a few pre-season outings under their belts to get ticking, but this time around they have to get up and running straight away in a Test environment and that’s a different challenge that they need to be ready for.
“Playing a Test match first up is different but you have to adapt to it. We know we need to step it up on Saturday from a few weeks ago and hopefully we will be able to do that. Ireland are an intelligent, tough side with some world class players coming back in for them so it’s going to be a big day for both sides.”
Pre-Match Links –
O’Connell: It’s All About This Game
In Pics: Ireland Training Ahead Of Wales Match
In Pics: Paul O’Connell – Aviva Stadium Memories
Recent Meetings –
2013: RBS 6 Nations: Wales 22 Ireland 30, Millennium Stadium
2014: RBS 6 Nations: Ireland 26 Wales 3, Aviva Stadium
2015: RBS 6 Nations: Wales 23 Ireland 16, Aviva Stadium; Rugby World Cup Warm-Up: Wales 21 Ireland 35, Millennium Stadium
Support Ireland on www.irishrugby.ie/facebook or search #ShouldertoShoulder or #IREvWAL on www.twitter.com/irishrugby.
This website uses cookies.
Read More