Ireland team named for first Test against Argentina
The Ireland coaching team has named the starting XV for the first Test against Daniel Hourcade’s Argentina in Resistancia on Saturday.
There is one new cap named in the starting line-up with Ulster’s Robbie Diack set to wear the No.6 jersey. There are two further uncapped players on the bench as Connacht dup Kieran Marmion and Rodney Ah You hope to claim their first cap.
The front row sees Jack McGrath win his 9th cap alongside Rory Best and Mike Ross. Captain Paul O’Connell is partnered in the second row by Iain Henderson. The back-row consists of Ulster team-mates Diack and Chris Henry with Leinster’s Jordi Murphy at No.8.
Conor Murray and Jonathan Sexton start at half-back with Luke Marshall and Darren Cave in the centre. The back three is made up of Simon Zebo, Andrew Trimble with Felix Jones at full-back.
The first Test will be televised live by Sky Sports at 19:40.
IRELAND Team & Replacements v Argentina, Estadio Centenario, Resistencia, Chaco
Summer Tour, Saturday 7th June, kick-off 15:40 LOCAL (19:40 GMT)
Player/Club/Province/Caps
15. Felix Jones (Shannon/Munster) 5
14. Andrew Trimble (Ballymena/Ulster) 55
13. Darren Cave (Belfast Harlequins/Ulster) 5
12. Luke Marshall (Ballnyahinch/Ulster) 5
11. Simon Zebo (Cork Constitution/Munster) 6
10. Jonathan Sexton (Racing Metro 92) 43
9. Conor Murray (Garryowen/Munster) 27
1. Jack McGrath (St. Mary’s College/Leinster) 8
2. Rory Best (Banbridge/Ulster) 75
3. Mike Ross (Clontarf/Leinster) 39
4. Iain Henderson (Ballynahinch/Ulster) 10
5. Paul O’Connell (Young Munster/Munster) 92 capt
6. Robbie Diack (Malone/Ulster) *
7. Chris Henry (Malone/Ulster) 14
8. Jordi Murphy (Lansdowne/Leinster) 2
Replacements
16. Damien Varley (Garryowen/Munster) 2
17. Dave Kilcoyne (UL Bohemians/Munster) 8
18. Rodney Ah You (Buccaneers/Connacht) *
19. Devin Toner (Lansdowne/Leinster) 15
20. Jamie Heaslip (Dublin University/Leinster) 65
21. Kieran Marmion (Corinthians/Connacht) *
22. Ian Madigan (Blackrock/Leinster) 8
23. Fergus McFadden (Old Belvedere/Leinster) 26
Argentina v IRELAND
Saturday 7th June, 2014
Estadio Centenario, Resistencia, Chaco
KO 15:40 local time (19:40 Irish time)