The Ireland team and replacements for the Rugby World Cup Pool C match against Australia in Eden Park on Saturday (kick-off 8:30 pm local time/9:30am Irish time) has been announced and shows four changes to the starting XV from Ireland’s opening game against the USA.
Up front Cian Healy returns to the starting line up at loose head prop having recovered from an eye injury and is joined in the pack by Sean O’Brien who comes in to the back row alongside Stephen Ferris and Jamie Heaslip.
Eoin Reddan will start at scrum half partnering Jonathan Sexton, while Rob Kearney makes his first start of the tournament coming into the team at fullback.
IRELAND Team & Replacements (v Australia, 2011 Rugby World Cup Pool C, Eden Park, Saturday, September 17, kick-off 8:30pm local time/9:30am Irish time):
15 – Robert Kearney (UCD/Leinster)*
14 – Tommy Bowe (Ospreys)
13 – Brian O’Driscoll (UCD/Leinster) (capt)
12 – Gordon D’Arcy (Lansdowne/Leinster)
11 – Keith Earls (Young Munster/Munster)
10 – Jonathan Sexton (St. Mary’s College/Leinster)
9 – Eoin Reddan (Lansdowne/Leinster)
1 – Cian Healy (Clontarf/Leinster)*
2 – Rory Best (Banbridge/Ulster)
3 – Mike Ross (Clontarf/Leinster)
4 – Donncha O’Callaghan (Cork Constitution/Munster)
5 – Paul O’Connell (Young Munster/Munster)
6 – Stephen Ferris (Dungannon/Ulster)
7 – Sean O’Brien (Clontarf / Leinster)*
8 – Jamie Heaslip (Naas/Leinster)
Replacements:
16 – Jerry Flannery (Shannon/Munster)
17 – Tom Court (Malone/Ulster)
18 – Donnacha Ryan (Shannon/Munster)
19 – Denis Leamy (Cork Constitution/Munster)
20 – Conor Murray (Garryowen/Munster)
21 – Ronan O’Gara (Cork Constitution/Munster)
22 – Andrew Trimble (Ballymena/Ulster)
*Denotes RWC Debut
