Ireland make one change for Wales
The Ireland coaching staff has made one change to the starting line-up for the Round 4 RBS 6 Nations Championship game against Wales at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff on Saturday 14th March.
Jamie Heaslip returns to the side after missing the England game through injury with Jordi Murphy taking a place among the replacements.
Paul O’Connell, will captain the side and win his 100th Test cap for Ireland and lines out alongside second row partner Devin Toner. The front-row is made up of Jack McGrath, Mike Ross and Rory Best. Heaslip is joined in the backrow by Peter O’Mahony and Sean O’Brien.
The backline is unchanged with Conor Murray and Johnny Sexton, who will win his 50th cap, paired at half-back and the combination of Robbie Henshaw and Jared Payne links up again in midfield. Rob Kearney is joined in the back three by Tommy Bowe and Simon Zebo.
Tommy O’Donnell is replaced on the bench by Jordi Murphy with the remainder of the replacements unchanged: Sean Cronin, Martin Moore, Cian Healy, Iain Henderson, Eoin Reddan, Ian Madigan and Felix Jones. Healy will win his 50th cap for Ireland if he comes of the bench at the Millennium Stadium.
IRELAND team to play Wales – Saturday 14th March, 2015
15. Rob Kearney (UCD/Leinster)
14. Tommy Bowe (Belfast Harlequins/Ulster)
13. Jared Payne (Ulster)
12. Robbie Henshaw (Buccaneers/Connacht)
11. Simon Zebo (Cork Con/Munster)
10. Johnny Sexton (Racing Metro)
9. Conor Murray (Garryowen/Munster)
8. Jamie Heaslip (Dublin University/Leinster)
7. Sean O’Brien (UCD/Leinster)
6. Peter O’Mahony (Cork Constitution/Munster)
5. Paul O’Connell (Young Munster/Munster) captain
4. Devin Toner (Lansdowne/Leinster)
3. Mike Ross (Clontarf/Leinster)
2. Rory Best (Banbridge/Ulster)
1. Jack McGrath (St. Mary’s College/Leinster)
Replacements
16. Sean Cronin (St. Mary’s College/Leinster)
17. Cian Healy (Clontarf/Leinster)
18. Martin Moore (Lansdowne/Leinster)
19. Iain Henderson (Ballynahinch/Ulster)
20. Jordi Murphy (Lansdowne/Leinster)
21. Eoin Reddan (Lansdowne/Leinster)
22. Ian Madigan (Blackrock/Leinster)
23. Felix Jones (Shannon/Munster)