Joe Schmidt has named the Ireland team to play Wales in Dublin on Sunday in the opening round of the Six Nations. As expected, neither Sean O’Brien nor Rob Kearney have passed fitness tests and both are absent from the squad.
CJ Stander makes his debut on the blindside flank, while Tommy O’Donnell is named in the number seven shirt. Robbie Henshaw and Jared Payne resume their fledgling centre partnership, while Simon Zebo takes Kearney’s vacant shirt at fullback.
IRELAND TEAM TO PLAY WALES
15. Simon Zebo (Cork Con/Munster) 21
14. Andrew Trimble (Ballymena/Ulster) 58
13. Jared Payne (Ulster) 10
12. Robbie Henshaw (Buccaneers/Connacht) 15
11. Keith Earls (Young Munster/Munster) 46
10. Jonathan Sexton (St Mary’s College/Leinster) 56
9. Conor Murray (Garryowen/Munster) 42
1. Jack McGrath (St. Mary’s College/Leinster) 25
2. Rory Best (Banbridge/Ulster) 89 Captain
3. Nathan White (Connacht) 8
4. Mike McCarthy (Lansdowne/Leinster) 17
5. Devin Toner (Lansdowne/Leinster) 31
6. CJ Stander (Munster)*
7. Tommy O’Donnell (UL Bohemians/Munster) 9
8. Jamie Heaslip (Dublin University/Leinster) 80 Vice-Captain
Replacements
16. Sean Cronin (St. Mary’s College/Leinster) 48
17. James Cronin (Dolphin/Munster) 2
18. Tadhg Furlong (Clontarf/Leinster) 3
19. Donnacha Ryan (Shannon/Munster) 34
20. Rhys Ruddock (St Mary’s College/Leinster) 6
21. Kieran Marmion (Corinthians/Connacht) 4
22. Ian Madigan (Blackrock College/Leinster) 25
23. David Kearney (Lansdowne/Leinster) 14
Photo by: Patrick Khachfe / Onside Images
2 replies on “Six Nations 2016: Ireland team to play Wales”
Can’t believe McCloskey not picked! Payne is very average in 13, should be playing his natural position of 15.
Forwards looking a little underwhelming.
So much depends on Murray and, to an even greater extent, Sexton bossing the games.
This Wales will be able to get past this team.
An adventurous selection, akin to the many made by E. O’S. Was hoping for something different.