Ireland face a step up in opposition as Joe Schmidt’s men aim to maintain their winning form against familiar rivals Italy and book their place in the Rugby World Cup quarter-finals.
RUGBY WORLD CUP POOL D: Sunday, October 4
IRELAND (2nd) v ITALY (3rd), Olympic Stadium, 4.45pm (live TV3/UTV/RTÉ Radio 1/IRFU Live Blog)
Team News: The Ireland team selected to play Italy includes the fit-again Robbie Henshaw who will make his Rugby World Cup debut alongside Keith Earls in the centre.
There are 11 changes in personnel to the side that defeated Romania 44-10, with Paul O’Connell returning to captain his country for the 27th time. He reforms his second row partnership with Iain Henderson from the Canada game.
Number 8 Jamie Heaslip is joined in the back row by Peter O’Mahony and Sean O’Brien, who wins his 40th cap at openside, while Mike Ross comes back in at tighthead prop alongside Rory Best and Jack McGrath in the front row.
Half-backs Jonathan Sexton and Conor Murray will marshal a back-line that is missing the sidelined Rob Kearney (mild glute strain) and Jared Payne (bruised foot). Henshaw, who has recovered from a hamstring strain, will make his World Cup bow at the age of 22, combining with Earls in a new-look centre pairing.
Earls, who scored a brace of tries from the wing against Romania, last donned the number 13 jersey in Ireland’s warm-up victory away to Wales in August. He turned 28 on Friday.
Tommy Bowe and Dave Kearney will fill the wing berths with Simon Zebo completing the back-three. It will be the Corkman’s fourth start at full-back since mid-August.
Ian Madigan, Eoin Reddan, Cian Healy, Nathan White, Devin Toner and Chris Henry – all starters against Romania – drop back to a replacements bench that also includes hooker Sean Cronin and versatile back Luke Fitzgerald.
Meanwhile, Sergio Parisse is back for Italy, the biggest of five changes to the starting line-up from the 23-18 victory over Canada in Leeds.
Parisse, who has recovered from a calf injury, resumes at number 8 in place of Samuela Vunisa, and also takes the captaincy duties back from hooker Leonardo Ghiraldini, who misses the match with a thigh muscle injury.
The talismanic Stade Francais forward is joined in the back row by Simone Favaro, who makes his first World Cup start after appearing off the bench in the 32-10 opening defeat by France.
Italy have won three of the last four Tests when Parisse and Favaro started together in the back row, a sequence that started with their first ever Six Nations win over Ireland (22-15) in Rome in March 2013.
There are 13 players in Italy’s matchday 23 that were involved that day, and five of those are in the starting pack – tighthead prop Lorenzo Cittadini and second rows Quintin Geldenhuys and Josh Furno joining Parisse and Favaro.
IRELAND: Simon Zebo (Cork Constitution/Munster); Tommy Bowe (Belfast Harlequins/Ulster), Keith Earls (Young Munster/Munster), Robbie Henshaw (Buccaneers/Connacht), Dave Kearney (Lansdowne/Leinster); Jonathan Sexton (St. Mary’s College/Leinster), Conor Murray (Garryowen/Munster); Jack McGrath (St. Mary’s College/Leinster), Rory Best (Banbridge/Ulster), Mike Ross (Clontarf/Leinster), Iain Henderson (Ballynahinch/Ulster), Paul O’Connell (Young Munster) (capt), Peter O’Mahony (Cork Constitution/Munster), Sean O’Brien (UCD/Leinster), Jamie Heaslip (Dublin University/Leinster).
Replacements: Sean Cronin (St. Mary’s College/Leinster), Cian Healy (Clontarf/Leinster), Nathan White (Connacht), Devin Toner (Lansdowne/Leinster), Chris Henry (Malone/Ulster), Eoin Reddan (Old Crescent/Leinster), Ian Madigan (Blackrock College/Leinster), Luke Fitzgerald (Blackrock College/Leinster).
ITALY: Luke McLean (Benetton Treviso); Leonardo Sarto (Zebre), Michele Campagnaro (Exeter Chiefs), Gonzalo Garcia (Zebre), Giovanbattista Venditti (Newcastle Falcons); Tommaso Allan (Perpignan), Edoardo Gori (Benetton Treviso); Matias Aguero (Unattached), Andrea Manici (Zebre), Lorenzo Cittadini (Wasps), Ouintin Geldenhuys (Zebre), Josh Furno (Newcastle Falcons), Francesco Minto (Benetton Treviso), Simone Favaro (Glasgow Warriors), Sergio Parisse (Stade Francais) (capt).
Replacements: Davide Giazzon (Benetton Treviso), Michele Rizzo (Leicester Tigers), Dario Chistolini (Zebre), Alessandro Zanni (Benetton Treviso), Mauro Bergamasco (Unattached), Guglielmo Palazzani (Zebre), Carlo Canna (Zebre), Tommaso Benvenuti (Bristol).
Referee: Jérôme Garcès (France)
Assistant Referees: Pascal Gauzère (France), Angus Gardner (Australia)
Television Match Official: Graham Hughes (England)
Match Odds (Paddy Power): Ireland to win: 1/18; Draw: 50/1; Italy to win: 12/1
Pre-Match Quotes: Paul O’Connell (Ireland) – “Now we’re in the third week of games and definitely there’s a feeling of knock-out rugby for us this week, and obviously it’s opponents we’re really familiar with and they’re really familiar with us as well.
“I’ve no doubt that we will be battered up front and pushed to the limit. They’re always incredibly physical games against Italy with the emphasis on the scrum, big emphasis around their defence.
“They have (Sergio) Parisse back, who will be a big galvanising force for them. You look at what he did with Stade Français last season to win the (Top 14) Championship. He’s a real driving force in any team he’s in.
“There’s no doubt that it’s going to be a really tough, physical game. Do we need it? I don’t know if we need it, but we certainly expect it and that’s what we’ve been preparing for.”
Sergio Parisse (Italy) – “I certainly won’t be at 100% on Sunday. It’s not an excuse but I certainly won’t be able to perform to my usual standards. I will give my very best, as I always try to. When I get tired, which I certainly will, it will be all about how I mentally react.
“I am fit but I’m not as fit as I want to be. My calf has caused be a lot of problems. I will not be 100% but I will give my best. As long as my legs are going forward I will still be fighting.
“Ireland have players like Sexton, Murray, Heaslip and O’Brien. They are really, really good from a tactical point of view, and in high balls, the breakdown and scrum. They put a lot of pressure on teams in those areas.
“They play simple rugby really well. I don’t think they have one player that makes a huge difference. They have a couple of key players.
“I’m saying nothing new by stating they have such a great team and that they are better than us. We have to play our best match of the tournament (on Sunday) to give us a chance.”
Pre-Match Links –
RWC Stat Attack – Ireland v Italy
In Pics: Ireland Captain’s Run At Olympic Stadium
O’Connell: ‘World Class’ Parisse Makes Massive Difference For Italy
Feek: Cian Really Wants That Jersey Back
Recent Meetings –
2013: RBS 6 Nations: Italy 22 Ireland 15, Stadio Olimpico
2014: RBS 6 Nations: Ireland 46 Italy 7, Aviva Stadium
2015: RBS 6 Nations: Italy 3 Ireland 26, Stadio Olimpico
Support Ireland on www.irishrugby.ie/facebook or search #ShouldertoShoulder / #IRE / #RWC2015 / #IREvITA on www.twitter.com/irishrugby.
This website uses cookies.
Read More