Ireland Team Named For Dublin Showdown With The All Blacks
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Here we go.
Andy Farrell and his coaching team have named the Ireland matchday squad to play New Zealand this coming Saturday at a sold-out Aviva Stadium.
While captain Johnny Sexton is facing New Zealand for the 14th time in his international career there are four players across the backline that face the All Blacks for the first time including his half-back partner Jamison Gibson Park.
The back three of Hugo Keenan, Andrew Conway and James Lowe will also play New Zealand at senior level for the first time. Bundee Aki and Garry Ringrose are partnered in midfield for the fourteenth occasion.
There is one change to the pack with Iain Henderson starting alongside James Ryan in the engine room while the front row of Andrew Porter, Ronan Kelleher and Tadgh Furlong is retained. Similarly, the back-row of Caelan Doris at six, Josh van der Flier at 7 and Jack Conan at No.8 continues from last week’s game against Japan.
Ireland Team vs New Zealand.
15. Hugo Keenan (Leinster/UCD) 14 caps
14. Andrew Conway (Munster/Garryowen) 26 caps
13. Garry Ringrose (Leinster/UCD) 35 caps
12. Bundee Aki (Connacht/Galwegians) 32 caps
11. James Lowe (Leinster) 7 caps
10. Johnny Sexton (Leinster/St Mary’s College) 100 caps CAPTAIN
9. Jamison Gibson Park (Leinster) 11 caps
1. Andrew Porter (Leinster/UCD) 38 caps
2. Ronan Kelleher (Leinster/Lansdowne) 14 caps
3. Tadhg Furlong (Leinster/Clontarf) 50 caps
4. Iain Henderson (Ulster/Academy) 64 caps
5. James Ryan (Leinster/UCD) 38 caps
6. Caelan Doris (Leinster/St Mary’s College) 10 caps
7. Josh van der Flier (Leinster/UCD) 33 caps
8. Jack Conan (Leinster/Old Belvedere) 21 caps
Replacements:
16. Rob Herring (Ulster/Ballynahinch) 22 caps
17. Cian Healy (Leinster/Clontarf) 110 caps
18. Finlay Bealham (Connacht/Buccaneers) 17 caps
19. Tadhg Beirne (Munster/Lansdowne) 23 caps
20. Peter O’Mahony (Munster/Cork Constitution) 77 caps
21. Conor Murray (Munster/Garryowen) 90 caps
22. Joey Carbery (Munster/Clontarf) 25 caps
23. Keith Earls (Munster/Young Munster) 94 caps