PAUL O’CONNELL WILL captain Ireland in their final World Cup warm-up clash against England at the Aviva Stadium on Saturday.
Geordan Murphy of Leicester comes into the fullback position to win his 70th cap, while Tommy Bowe makes his first start of the summer and Andrew Trimble rounds out the backline.
Gordon D’Arcy will be partnered by Keith Earls in the centre, while Ronan O’Gara and Eoin Reddan with form the halfback partnership.
O’Connell and Donncha O’Callaghan will make their 40th start together in the second row, with Jerry Flannery named as hooker alongside Mike Ross and Cian Healy.
Finally, Stephen Ferris and David Wallace both get starts and Jamie Heaslip completes the back row.
After a fitness scare surrounding Sean O’Brien earlier today, Declan Kidney insisted there was nothing to worry about.
“Sean will be fine, it wasn’t prudent to include him this weekend,” he said after training.
Brian O’Driscoll sits this one out due to a ‘stinger’ to his shoulder during the defeat to France in Dublin last weekend.
“Brian picked up a knock against France. He’s running around outside, but it was prudent to us not to put him into a contact situation on Saturday,” added the coach.
“He has made good progress, especially over the last 24 hours.”
Ireland team to face England at the Aviva Stadium:
Murphy, Bowe, Earls, Darcy, Trimble, O’Gara, Reddan, Healy, Flannery, Ross, O’Callaghan, O’Connell (capt), Ferris, Wallace, Heaslip.
Replacements: Best, Court, Ryan, Leamy, Murray, Sexton, McFadden.
