Head coaches Joe Schmidt and Stuart Lancaster are both anticipating a ‘tight game’ of ‘fine margins’ when Ireland and England meet in Sunday’s RBS 6 Nations top of the table clash at the Aviva Stadium.
2015 RBS 6 NATIONS CHAMPIONSHIP: Sunday, March 1
IRELAND (2nd) v ENGLAND (1st), Aviva Stadium, 3pm (live RTÉ Two/BBC One/RTÉ Radio 1/IRFU Live Blog)
Team News: Ireland head coach Joe Schmidt has announced the team to play England in the round 3 of the RBS 6 Nations Championship at the Aviva Stadium on Sunday.
Jordi Murphy is the only change to the starting line-up from the France game, slotting in at number 8 for the sidelined Jamie Heaslip.
Paul O’Connell, who wins his 99th cap for Ireland, will lead the side and is partnered by Devin Toner in the second row. The front row is made up of Jack McGrath, Mike Ross and Rory Best and Murphy joins Peter O’Mahony and Sean O’Brien in the back row.
The back-line is unchanged with Conor Murray and Jonathan Sexton paired together again at half-back and Robbie Henshaw and Jared Payne lining out together in the centre.
Regular full-back Rob Kearney wins his 60th cap and is joined in the back-three by wingers Tommy Bowe and Simon Zebo.
Eoin Reddan and Tommy O’Donnell have been added to the replacements bench alongside Sean Cronin, Martin Moore, Cian Healy, Iain Henderson, Ian Madigan and Felix Jones.
Meanwhile, England head coach Stuart Lancaster has named full-back Alex Goode and winger Jack Nowell in his team to face Ireland in Dublin.
Saracens clubman Alex Goode, who starred in the 12-6 triumph last time England were in Dublin, starts his first Test for two years after replacing the sidelined Mike Brown.
Jack Nowell – in impressive domestic form with Exeter Chiefs – is preferred to Gloucester’s Jonny May as the only two unbeaten teams in the RBS 6 Nations go head-to-head.
In the only other change to the England matchday 23 that defeated Italy 47-17, Bath’s Henry Thomas replaces Kieran Brookes on the bench. The Newcastle Falcons prop is continuing to recover from a hip flexor strain he picked up earlier this week.
IRELAND: Rob Kearney (UCD/Leinster); Tommy Bowe (Belfast Harlequins/Ulster), Jared Payne (Ulster), Robbie Henshaw (Buccaneers/Connacht), Simon Zebo (Cork Constitution/Munster); Jonathan Sexton (Racing Metro 92), Conor Murray (Garryowen/Munster); Jack McGrath (St. Mary’s College/Leinster), Rory Best (Banbridge/Ulster), Mike Ross (Clontarf/Leinster), Devin Toner (Lansdowne/Leinster), Paul O’Connell (Young Munster/Munster) (capt), Peter O’Mahony (Cork Constitution/Munster), Sean O’Brien (UCD/Leinster), Jordi Murphy (Lansdowne/Leinster).
Replacements: Sean Cronin (St. Mary’s College/Leinster), Cian Healy (Clontarf/Leinster), Martin Moore (Lansdowne/Leinster), Iain Henderson (Ballynahinch/Ulster), Tommy O’Donnell (UL Bohemians/Munster), Eoin Reddan (Lansdowne/Leinster), Ian Madigan (Blackrock College/Leinster), Felix Jones (Shannon/Munster).
ENGLAND: Alex Goode (Saracens); Anthony Watson (Bath), Jonathan Joseph (Bath), Luther Burrell (Northampton Saints), Jack Nowell (Exeter Chiefs); George Ford (Bath), Ben Youngs (Leicester Tigers); Joe Marler (Harlequins), Dylan Hartley (Northampton Saints), Dan Cole (Leicester Tigers), David Attwood (Bath), George Kruis (Saracens), James Haskell (Wasps), Chris Robshaw (Harlequins) (capt), Billy Vunipola (Saracens).
Replacements: Tom Youngs (Leicester Tigers), Mako Vunipola (Saracens), Henry Thomas (Bath), Nick Easter (Harlequins), Tom Croft (Leicester Tigers), Richard Wigglesworth (Saracens), Danny Cipriani (Sale Sharks), Billy Twelvetrees (Gloucester).
Referee: Craig Joubert (South Africa)
Assistant Referees: Jérôme Garcès, Mathieu Raynal (both France)
Television Match Official: Deon van Blommestein (South Africa)
Match Odds (Paddy Power): Ireland to win: 4/5; Draw: 16/1; England to win: 6/5
Pre-Match Quotes: Joe Schmidt (Ireland) – “It would be the biggest win we’ve had so far, without a doubt. The position we’re in, what we’ve got to play for, the year that’s in it, the players that have come in and out of the squad…there’s a number of things that it would be great to give that confidence to the players, to know that they’re capable of doing it.
“I think it’s hard not to get excited. We’ve been working hard for a long time – 50 different players in 18 months – and this gives us an opportunity to maybe culminate in a home victory that would be really special.
“We will miss Jamie Heaslip’s experience to be honest; he’s very much a big-game player with big-game temperament. That allows us to be a little bit more organised. So it’s a big challenge for Peter O’Mahony and Sean O’Brien to help Jordi (Murphy) map his way around the pitch.
“(Compared to last year’s game) really you are looking at a very changed group but a group that is high on confidence and that is performing at a very high level, therefore you try to construct a fairly different approach and hope that that fits the bill on the day.
“We have worked hard this week, we are going to roll up our sleeves on Sunday and try to manufacture enough opportunities so that we can get that fine margin to swing in our favour.”
Stuart Lancaster (England) – “Dublin is similar to Cardiff. History tells you it’s a very difficult place to go and win. Sometimes when you’re playing against Irish teams you feel like you’re playing against 16 or 17 because of the energy that they bring.
“People like Paul O’Connell, who is an inspirational leader and captain, will be at his best. It will be as difficult a game as we’ve had in a long time.
“It would be nice to repeat what we did in Cardiff (against Wales), especially the second half. One of the keys to that night was that we had a strong sense of belief we could win there, but the players still needed to deliver and they did that.
“We need to have the same sense of belief, which we do, going into Sunday. Belief has to be built on some sort of foundation and the foundations laid in the last two weeks with wins against Wales and Italy have been excellent.
“That’s why it is such a fascinating game because Ireland have been in the same position. I’d be very surprised if either team weren’t ready for this game. The margins between the teams will be very small. It will be decided on key moments. It could be discipline, a defensive error or a moment of brilliance that decides it, but it will be tight.”
Pre-Match Links –
Head-To-Head: Ireland v England
Ireland v England: Facts & Figures
Easterby: Loosehead Is A Great Position For Us Now
Aviva Fan Studio Returns For Ireland-England Clash
IRFU Issue Ticket Warning Of Online Scams
Recent Meetings –
2012: RBS 6 Nations: England 30 Ireland 9, Twickenham
2013: RBS 6 Nations: Ireland 6 England 12, Aviva Stadium
2014: RBS 6 Nations: England 13 Ireland 10, Twickenham
Support Ireland on www.irishrugby.ie/facebook or search #ShouldertoShoulder or #IRLvENG on www.twitter.com/irishrugby.
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