DECLAN Kidney has answered the masses this week with opting to give Johny Sexton the all important and vital game time experience against the World Champions, South Africa, this Saturday in the final game in the Autumn International Series. Naming the team this Tuesday in Dublin, Kidney made six changes to the starting 15 from the team that played against Fiji.
There are three changes in the backline with Tommy Bowe returning to the team on the right wing in place of Shane Horgan. Paddy Wallace moves from the bench to start at inside centre with Gordon D’Arcy named in the replacements. Tomas O’Leary is selected in the starting team at scrumhalf.
The forwards have also seen three changes with Cian Healy starting at loosehead after recovering from his shoulder injury and Tony Buckley is retained in the replacements.
Donncha O’Callaghan also returns to the side in the secondrow with Leo Cullen moving to the replacements. David Wallace, who was not involved in the match 22 against Fiji, is selected at openside.
Denis Leamy recovered enough from what was initially feared to be a serious injury sustained last week against Fiji to secure a place on the bench.
Ireland Team & Replacements (v South Africa, Croke Park, Saturday November 28th, k.o. 14.30)
15 – Rob Kearney (UCD/Leinster)
14 – Tommy Bowe (Ospreys)
13 – Brian O’Driscoll (UCD/Leinster) (capt)
12 – Paddy Wallace (Ballymena/Ulster)
11 – Keith Earls (Young Munster/Munster)
10 – Jonathan Sexton (St. Mary’s College/Leinster)
9 – Tomas O’Leary (Dolphin/Munster)
1 – Cian Healy (Clontarf/Leinster)
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 – Sean Cronin (Buccaneers/Connacht)
17 – Tony Buckley (Shannon/Munster)
18 – Leo Cullen (Blackrock College/Leinster)
19 – Denis Leamy (Cork Constitution/Munster)
20 – Peter Stringer (Shannon/Munster)
21 – Ronan O’Gara (Cork Constitution/Munster)
22 – Gordon D’Arcy (Lansdowne/Leinster)
