DECLAN Kidney has made a total of 10 changes to his team to face the All Blacks this Saturday in New Plymouth, New Zealand, in the opening game of Ireland’s tour in the Southern Hemisphere.
Tommy Bowe and Gordon D’Arcy join team captain Brian O’Driscoll in the backline with Andrew Trimble and Rob Kearney retaining their positions from the defeat to the Baba’s last weekend.
Munster’s Tomas O’Leary rejoins fellow provincial and Irish team mate, Ronan O’Gara to make up the halfbacks while in the forwards, Cian Healy and John Hayes join the front row with Sean Cronin at hooker, while Donncha O’Callaghan and Mick O’Driscoll will form an experienced locking pairing.
Jamie Heaslip jumps back in to the No.8 jersey while David Wallace joins John Muldoon, man of the match from the Baba’s game) to make up a powerful backrow.
IRELAND:
Robert Kearney, Tommy Bowe, Brian O’Driscoll (captain), Gordon D’Arcy, Andrew Trimble, Ronan O’Gara, Tomas O’Leary, Jamie Heaslip, David Wallace, John Muldoon, Mick O’Driscoll, Donncha O’Callaghan, John Hayes, Sean Cronin, Cian Healy.
Replacements: John Fogarty, Tony Buckley, Dan Tuohy, Shane Jennings, Eoin Reddan, Jonathan Sexton, Geordan Murphy.
The New Zealand Herald reports that the All Blacks have three new caps in their starting line-up to face Declan Kidney’s men.
There are just eight survivors from the starting side who beat France 39-12 in Marseille in the final test of last year – Jane, Conrad Smith, Dan Carter, Jimmy Cowan, Kieran Read, Richie McCaw, Jerome Kaino and Brad Thorn.
On the bench, powerhouse Hurricanes flanker Vito was preferred to Adam Thomson as loose forward cover, impressive Crusaders lock Whitelock was rewarded after being summoned as cover for the injured Tom Donnelly, while Hurricanes pivot Cruden was always the nominated backup for Carter.
The team are without several frontliners sidelined by injury, including Muliaina, Nonu, Andrew Hore, Ali Williams, Sitiveni Sivivatu and Donnelly.
All Blacks :
Israel Dagg, Cory Jane, Conrad Smith, Benson Stanley, Joe Rokocoko, Dan Carter, Jimmy Cowan, Kieran Read, Richie McCaw (captain), Jerome Kaino, Anthony Boric, Brad Thorn, Owen Franks, Keven Mealamu, Ben Franks.
Replacements: Aled de Malmanche, Neemia Tialata, Sam Whitelock, Victor Vito, Piri Weepu, Aaron Cruden, Zac Guildford.
