Ireland Team To Play England Announced

There are no changes to the starting Ireland team to play England at Croke Park this Saturday from the side that beat Italy in the last round of the RBS Six Nations Championship.

Paddy Wallace has fully recovered from the eye injury that forced him off the field during the game at the Stadio Flaminio to allow him to line up in the centre with Ireland captain Brian O’Driscoll who will win his 91st cap. 

There is one change to the replacements with Mick O’Driscoll being named as second row cover in place of Malcolm O’Kelly.

Out-half Ronan O’Gara will be winning his 90th cap to join O’Kelly, John Hayes and O’Driscoll as the only players to have won over 90 caps for Ireland.

Meanwhile, second row Paul O’Connell will win his 60th cap for Ireland on Saturday.

IRELAND TEAM & REPLACEMENTS (v England, 2009 RBS 6 Nations Championship, Croke Park, Saturday, February 28, kick-off 5.30pm):

15 – Robert Kearney (UCD – Leinster)

14 – Tommy Bowe (Ospreys)

13 – Brian O’Driscoll (UCD – Leinster) (capt)

12 – Paddy Wallace (Ballymena – Ulster)

11 – Luke Fitzgerald (Blackrock College – Leinster)

10 – Ronan O’Gara (Cork Constitution – Munster)

9 – Tomas O’Leary (Dolphin – Munster)

1 – Marcus Horan (Shannon – Munster)

2 – Jerry Flannery (Shannon – Munster)

3 – John Hayes (Bruff- Munster)

4 – Donncha O’Callaghan (Cork Constitution – Munster)

5 – Paul O’Connell (Young Munster – Munster)

6 – Stephen Ferris (Dungannon – Ulster)

7 – David Wallace (Garryowen – Munster)

8 – Jamie Heaslip (Naas – Leinster)

Replacements: 

16 – Rory Best (Banbridge – Ulster)
17 – Tom Court (Malone – Ulster)
18 – Mick O’Driscoll (Cork Constitution – Munster)
19 – Denis Leamy (Cork Constitution – Munster)
20 – Peter Stringer (Shannon – Munster)
21 – Gordon D’Arcy (Lansdowne – Leinster)
22 – Geordan Murphy (Leicester)