Joe Schmidt has announced his Ireland team to take on Italy in Rome this weekend, with Ian Keatley getting the nod at fly-half over Ian Madigan, who starts on the bench.
The biggest news comes in the back row, however, where Jamie Heaslip has failed to recover from a shoulder injury and misses out. Jordi Murphy takes the number eight shirt, while Sean O’Brien is thrust straight into a starting role on the openside flank.
Robbie Henshaw and Jared Payne come together again in the centres, with Simon Zebo joining Tommy Bowe and Rob Kearney in the back three. Somewhat surprisingly, Mike Ross takes the tighthead jersey ahead of Martin Moore, despite Moore having dislodged him from the starting jersey at Leinster.
Ireland team to play Italy:
15. Rob Kearney
14. Tommy Bowe
13. Jared Payne
12. Robbie Henshaw
11. Simon Zebo
10. Ian Keatley
9. Conor Murray
1. Jack McGrath
2. Rory Best
3. Mike Ross
4. Devin Toner
5. Paul O’Connell
6. Peter O’Mahony
7. Sean O’Brien
8. Jordi Murphy
Replacements: 16. Sean Cronin 17. Jack Cronin 18. Marty Moore 19. Iain Henderson 20. Tommy O’Donnell 21. Isaac Boss 22. Ian Madigan 23. Felix Jones
8 replies on “Six Nations 2015: Ireland team named for Italy test”
Is Gordon Darcy injured or out of picture now?
Back up now. Olding, Marshall and others are likely ahead of him as well.
Olding is out injured for the whole 6N
I was inferring if he was fit, he would like be ahead of darcy. Marshall could also fall into that bracket with more rugby
Ross and keatley are the wrong calls, i fear after the highs of the last year or so we could be heading back to an eddie o sullivan type era i.e. harder to get off the team than on it lol. Moore should definetly have got the nod at t h. and madigan also . payne also wrong call but joe is the ‘messiah’ lol so who am i to even have an opinion.
I think we will see Moore in early in the second half. though I agree i would have liked him to start. Madigan was very poor last week at ten and that cant be ignored. Also Eddie o Sullivan would never have picked jorid murphy at 8 or keatley at ten. He would have called off the game before giving youth a chance.
Amazing that we have our ‘fourth’ choice 10 starting. Shows how strong the squad is now.
Ireland just need a win this weekend then sexton will return to lead the troops next week.
johne
Entitled as much as anyone to yr opinion.
I don’t know some of the Irish guys, but the pack looks fairly strong, esp in the back row. Don’t know about McGrath either & whether the fr. row will hold up later in the tourney? Also don’t know enough of Jared Payne or Robbie Henshaw either & esp Ian Keatley in the backs?
In a rugby pub recently a supporter reckoned JS to be ‘the best coach in the world’. Got my hackles up a bit as it’s too early to say that yet. However, Schmidt has a track record @ Leinster & C. Auvergne & he did WIN the 6N 1st up (unlike Lancaster who’s done nuthin’). I guess, being a calm, calculated thinker, he has his reasons for his picks? And (no off intended) it is Italy. But, what’s happened to Luke Fitz? Recalling the Lions’ SA tour, I really rated him & R. Kearney.
Ross always performs for JS – smart man Joe is keeping him in the fold. It’s all in the head at this level – discard him now and could cost us later. Thought Henderson deserved a shot at starting against Italy.
DDD