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Jamie Heaslip gets away from Paddy Wallace at squad training in Donnybrook. INPHO/Dan Sheridan
Friends Reunited

Kidney names team for Pumas showdown

Stringer and Sexton. Together at last.

DECLAN KIDNEY HAS this lunchtime named his side to face Argentina in the final November Test on Sunday.

The headline news is that Geordan Murphy and Peter Stringer will line out in a team that shows five changes from the side that was defeated 38-18 against New Zealand last week. Stringer will be paired with Jonathon Sexton, interestingly.

Luke Fitzgerald, Rob Kearney and Rory Best are ruled out through injury while Eoin Reddan is replaced by his Munster counterpart.

Tom Court is out for the fit-again Tony Buckley while Andrew Trimble replaces Fitzgerald on the wing and Sean Cronin comes in for Best at hooker.

Cian Healy takes up the loosehead prop role while Thomond Park duo Donncha O’Callaghan and Mick O’Driscoll slot into the second row. The familair  trio of Stephen Ferris, David Wallace and Jamie Heaslip make up the back row.

The half-back pairing of Stringer and Sexton will please plenty of commentators who called for the move and may herald a fast dynamic gameplan in the offing.

Brian O’Driscoll will captain the side from the centre with Gordon D’Arcy alongside. Tommy Bowe completes the back-three while Reddan is named on the bench, with Ronan O’Gara and Keith Earls also providing cover for the backs

Ireland Team: Geordan Murphy, Tommy Bowe, Brian O’Driscoll, Gordon D’Arcy, Andrew Trimble, Jonathan Sexton, Peter Stringer, Cian Healy, Sean Cronin, Tony Buckley, Donncha O’Callaghan, Mick O’Driscoll, Stephen Ferris, David Wallace, Jamie Heaslip.

Replacements: Damien Varley, Tom Court, Devin Toner, Denis Leamy, Eoin Reddan, Ronan O’Gara, Keith Earls