In what is a busy week for the Ireland squad, two Irish teams will play games in the space of three days. An Ireland Select XV will take on Connacht on Thursday evening in Donnybrook Stadium followed by Ireland playing France in the Aviva Stadium on Saturday.
In the Guinness Summer Series international against France, the test match team will take the field with 10 changes to the run on side from the team that played the previous week.
There are six changes in the backline, one of which is positional. Felix Jones will make his first start for Ireland at full back and Keith Earls moves from the centre to left wing. With Earls moving into the back three, Gordon D’Arcy comes into the midfield alongside Captain Brian O’Driscoll, who will both be making their debuts for the season. Jonathan Sexton will start at No.10 and he will be partnered at half back by Tomas O’Leary.
Paul O’Connell and Jamie Heaslip come into the starting team after being second half replacements last weekend and Sean O’Brien moves to No.6.
Ireland Team & Replacements (v France, Aviva Stadium, Dublin, Saturday, August 20th, kick-off 5.00pm local):
15 – Felix Jones (Shannon/ Munster)
14 – Andrew Trimble (Ballymena/Ulster)
13 – Brian O’Driscoll (UCD/Leinster) Captain
12 – Gordon D’Arcy (Lansdowne/Leinster)
11 – Keith Earls (Thomond/Munster)
10 – Jonathan Sexton (St.Mary’s College/Leinster)
9 – Tomas O’Leary (Dolphin/Munster)
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 – Sean O’Brien (Clontarf/Leinster)
7 – David Wallace (Garryowen/Munster)
8 – Jamie Heaslip (Naas/Leinster)
Replacements:
16 – Jerry Flannery (Shannon/ Munster)
17 – Tom Court (Malone/Ulster)
18 – Mike McCarthy (Buccaneers/Connacht)
19 – Stephen Ferris (Dungannon/Ulster)
20 – Eoin Reddan (Lansdowne/Leinster)
21 – Ronan O’Gara (Cork Constitution/Munster)
22 – Luke Fitzgerald (Blackrock College/ Leinster)
In the Connacht game, several players who were involved in the test match against France last week get another chance to play in Donnybrook tomorrow evening.
Leo Cullen will captain the side and will be partnered in the second row by Mick O’Driscoll, with Tony Buckley, Sean Cronin, John Hayes completing the front five. Shane Jennings will have his first outing of August after returning from a broken arm alongside Kevin McLaughlin and Denis Leamy in the back row.
Isaac Boss and Paddy Wallace will make up the half back partnership with Fergus McFadden, Johne Murphy and Geordan Murphy in the back three.
Ireland Select XV Team & Replacements (v Connacht, Donnybrook Stadium, Dublin, Thursday, August 18th, kick-off 6.30pm local):
15 – Geordan Murphy (Leicester)
14 – Johne Murphy (Munster)
13 – Darren Cave (Belfast Harlequins/Ulster)
12 – Ian Keatley (Munster)
11 – Fergus McFadden (Old Belvedere/Leinster)
10 – Paddy Wallace (Ballymena/Ulster)
9 – Isaac Boss (Terenure College/Leinster)
1 – Tony Buckley (Sale)
2 – Sean Cronin (Leinster)
3 – John Hayes (Bruff/Munster)
4 – Mick O’Driscoll (Cork Constitution/Munster)
5 – Leo Cullen (Blackrock College/Leinster)
6 – Kevin McLaughlin (St.Mary’s College/Leinster)
7 – Shane Jennings (St.Mary’s College/Leinster)
8 – Denis Leamy (Cork Constitution/Leinster)
Replacements:
16 – Damien Varley (Garryowen/Munster)
17 – Marcus Horan (Shannon/Munster)
18 – Donnacha Ryan (Shannon/Munster)
19 – Niall Ronan (Shannon/Munster)
20 – Conor Murray (Garryowen/Munster)
21 – Denis Hurley (Cork Constitution/Munster)
22 – Ian Whitten (Ballymena/Ulster)
