DECLAN Kidney has stuck with his starting selection made for the win over Italy two weeks ago to face the challenge that Martin Johnson’s England will bring to Croke Park on Saturday evening next for the round three battle of the RBS Six Nations Championship.
Paddy Wallace has fully recovered from the eye injury that forced him off the field during the game in the Stadio Flaminio to allow him to line up in the centre with Ireland Captain Brian O’Driscoll who will win his 91st cap.
There is one change to the replacements with Mick O’Driscoll being named as second row cover in place of Malcolm O’Kelly yet there is still no place for Keith Earls in the side.
Out half Ronan O’Gara will be winning his 90th cap to join Malcolm O’Kelly, John Hayes and Brian O’Driscoll as the only players to have won over 90 caps for Ireland.
Ireland Team v England
15 – Robert Kearney (UCD – Leinster)
14 – Tommy Bowe (Ospreys)
13 – Brian O’Driscoll (UCD – Leinster) Captain
12 – Paddy Wallace (Ballymena – Ulster)
11 – Luke Fitzgerald (Blackrock College – Leinster)
10 – Ronan O’Gara (Cork Constitution – Munster)
9 – Tomas O’Leary (Dolphin – Munster)
1 – Marcus Horan (Shannon – Munster)
2 – Jerry Flannery (Shannon – Munster)
3 – John Hayes (Bruff- Munster)
4 – Donncha O’Callaghan (Cork Constitution – Munster)
5 – Paul O’Connell (Young Munster – Munster)
6 – Stephen Ferris (Dungannon – Ulster)
7 – David Wallace (Garryowen – Munster)
8 – Jamie Heaslip (Naas – Leinster)
Replacements:
16 – Rory Best (Banbridge – Ulster)
17 – Tom Court (Malone – Ulster)
18 – Mick O’Driscoll (Cork Constitution – Munster)
19 – Denis Leamy (Cork Constitution – Munster)
20 – Peter Stringer (Shannon – Munster)
21 – Gordon D’Arcy (Lansdowne – Leinster)
22 – Geordan Murphy (Leicester)
