Two New Caps For Ireland

Flanker Shane Jennings and wing Rob Kearney will win their first caps for Ireland as Coach Eddie O’Sullivan has named the two debutants in his side for the second test against Argentina in Buenos Aires this Saturday.

Overall there are 12 changes, which includes one positional switch, to the side that started last weekend.  Geordan Murphy moves from the bench to start at full back.  Barry Murphy also comes into the starting side to partner Gavin Duffy who will play at inside centre.  Paddy Wallace is ruled out due to the knee injury he picked up last week, so the newly arrived Jeremy Staunton goes straight into outhalf.  He will be partnered at scrumhalf by Eoin Reddan, who makes his first start for Ireland.

 

In the forwards, Frankie Sheahan replaces Jerry Flannery at hooker.  The entire back five of the pack has been changed, with Leo Cullen and Mick O’Driscoll in the secondrow.  Alan Quinlan and Stephen Ferris, who starts at No.8 for his third cap, will join new cap Shane Jennings in the backrow.

 

Ireland Coach Eddie O’Sullivan said, “I think a lot of the players last week stood up and put their cases forward for World Cup selection.  This week’s team has the same opportunity to do that in another pressurised environment.”

 

The Ireland team to play Argentina on Saturday, 2^nd June 2007 in the Estadio Jose Amalfitani, Velez Sarsfield, Buenos Aires at 16.10hrs local time (20.10 Irish time) is as follows:

 

Player                                      Club                                         Caps

15 – Geordan Murphy                  Leicester                                   47

14 – Brian Carney                       Clonakilty/Munster                      1

13 – Barry Murphy                      U.L. Bohemians/Munster             1

12 – Gavin Duffy                         Galwegians/Connacht                 5

11 – Rob Kearney                       UCD/Leinster                              0

10 – Jeremy Staunton                 Wasps                                       4

9 – Eoin Reddan                         Wasps                                       1

1 – Bryan Young                         Ballymena/Ulster                        6

2 – Frankie Sheahan                   Cork Constitution/Munster           27

3 – Simon Best   Captain            Belfast Harlequins/Ulster            17

4 – Leo Cullen                            Leicester                                   18                    

5 – Mick O’Driscoll                       Cork Constitution/Munster           10

6 – Alan Quinlan                         Shannon/Munster                       23

7 – Shane Jennings                     Leicester                                   0

8 – Stephen Ferris                      Dungannon/Ulster                       2

 

Replacements:

16 – Bernard Jackman                 Clontarf/Leinster                        3

17 – Tony Buckley                       Shannon/Munster                       1

18 – Malcolm O’Kelly                   St. Mary’s College/Leinster          84

19 – Neil Best                             Belfast Harlequins/Ulster             11

20 – Isaac Boss                          Ballymena/Ulster                        8

21 – Kieran Lewis                       St.Mary’s College/Leinster           2

22 – Luke Fitzgerald                    Blackrock College/Leinster           1

Not considered due to injury:

Tommy Bowe {shoulder}

Andrew Trimble {ankle}

Paddy Wallace {knee}