The Ireland team to play Argentina in the final game of the Guinness Series on Saturday in the Aviva Stadium (KO: 2pm) has been named and includes six Leinster players in the starting XV and a further four amongst the replacements…
Ulster’s Craig Gilroy comes in to win his first full cap on the left wing after impressing in the previous game against Fiji in Thomond Park and will team up in a back three that includes Simon Zebo at full back, winning his third cap and Tommy Bowe on the right wing.
Gordon D’Arcy and Keith Earls will continue their centre partnership and Jonathan Sexton is named to start at No.10 after recovering from the tight groin he suffered in the warm up for the Fiji game and forced him to withdraw from the squad.
The forwards selection is the same that lined out for the opening game of the Guinness Series with Richardt Strauss winning his second full cap in the front row. Among the replacements, Donncha O’Callaghan could make his 90th appearance for his country if he is called into action.
The team will be captained by Jamie Heaslip for the third consecutive game in the Guinness Series.
IRELAND:
15: Simon Zebo (Cork Constitution/Munster/2)
14: Tommy Bowe (Belfast Harlequins/Ulster/50)
13: Keith Earls (Young Munster/Munster/33)
12: Gordon D’Arcy (Lansdowne/Leinster/70)
11: Craig Gilroy (Dungannon/Ulster)*
10: Jonathan Sexton (St.Mary’s College/Leinster/33)
9: Conor Murray (Garryowen/Munster/13)
1: Cian Healy (Clontarf/Leinster/34)
2: Richardt Strauss (Old Wesley/Leinster/1)
3: Mike Ross (Clontarf/Leinster/23)
4: Donnacha Ryan (Shannon/Munster/22)
5: Mike McCarthy (Buccaneers/Connacht/5)
6: Peter O’Mahony (Cork Constitution/Munster/8)
7: Chris Henry (Malone/Ulster/3)
8: Jamie Heaslip (Naas/Leinster/51) CAPTAIN
REPLACEMENTS:
16: Sean Cronin (St. Mary’s College/Leinster/22)
17: David Kilcoyne (UL Bohemians/Munster/1)
18: Michael Bent (Leinster/1)
19: Donncha O’Callaghan (Cork Constitution/Munster/89)
20: Iain Henderson (Queens University/Ulster/1)
21: Eoin Reddan (Lansdowne/Leinster/46)
22: Ronan O’Gara (Cork Constitution/Munster/125)
23: Fergus McFadden (Old Belvedere/Leinster/15)
N.B. *denotes uncapped player
