GUINNESS Summer Series Preview: Ireland v Wales

The final home game for Ireland head coach Joe Schmidt and captain Rory Best coincides with the seasonal debuts of Jonathan Sexton, Robbie Henshaw and Keith Earls, as the GUINNESS Summer Series concludes with the visit of Wales to the Aviva Stadium.

GUINNESS SUMMER SERIES MATCH: Saturday, September 7

IRELAND v WALES, Aviva Stadium, 2pm (live RTÉ 2/Channel 4/RTÉ Radio 1/BBC Radio Ulster/IRFU Live Blog)

Team News: Ulster hooker Best, who will retire after the Rugby World Cup, leads a team showing twelve changes to the one that started last week’s 22-17 win over Wales in Cardiff. Bundee Aki, James Ryan and Jack Conan are the only players retained in the starting XV.

Recovered from the ankle injury he picked up against England, Cian Healy joins Best and Tadhg Furlong in an experienced front row, while Ryan is a third different second row partner for Munster’s Jean Kleyn who makes his third start since making his debut against Italy last month.

Like Ryan, his Leinster colleague Conan is retained at number 8 for back-to-back outings, with CJ Stander starting at blindside flanker for the first time since the 2018 summer tour to Australia, and Josh van der Flier resuming at openside.

There are seasonal bows in the back-line for Sexton, Henshaw and Earls, as a fully fit Sexton reunites with Conor Murray at half-back and Henshaw pairs up with Aki in the centre for the first time since Ireland’s 2018 series win over Australia.

Earls, who is set to play in his third Rugby World Cup, links up with Leinster duo Rob Kearney and Jordan Larmour in the back-three. One more try for Earls – a 31st at international level – would see him replace Tommy Bowe as Ireland’s second top try scorer of all-time.

There are six players on the bench who got game-time at the Principality Stadium, including man-of-the-match Jack Carty. Replacement hooker Sean Cronin is in line to win his 70th cap, while Rhys Ruddock, Ireland’s captain for their most recent home game against Italy, provides the back row cover.

Speaking at the team announcement in Carton House, defence coach Andy Farrell commented: “(Johnny, Robbie and Keith) are raring to go. Have been held back for at least a week or two and can’t wait to get going this weekend. Keith is fine, he hit his highest speed score today in training as he was going to score a try in the corner.

“It’s our last game before we get on the plane on Wednesday. We’re after a performance that we’re proud of and there’s an extra reason for that with it being Rory’s last game at the Aviva and Joe’s as well, obviously.

“The important thing is that we put the performance in, the cohesive performance and the right mental attitude to take forward into two weeks’ time when we start the World Cup against Scotland. Yes, we’re down to 31, but there’s still massive competition for places for who takes the field in that first game.

“There’s people getting their first starts, (we’re) trying to get a few different combinations going and still having a look (at selection). Everyone wants to be involved in that Scotland game, and the guys that take the field on Saturday are in the shop window to put their best foot forward for a start in the first World Cup game.”

Meanwhile, Alun Wyn Jones, who led Wales to a Grand Slam in the spring, returns as team captain this weekend and will pack down with Jake Ball in the second row. Dragons youngster Aaron Wainwright features in the loose forwards with Justin Tipuric and Ross Moriarty.

Exeter Chiefs’ Tomas Francis, the starting tighthead in the 13-6 win over England last month, is joined in the front row by Wyn Jones and Elliot Dee, as much-changed Wales come hunting for some winning momentum to take with them to Japan.

The Welsh back-line is the same that started against England, apart from half-backs Rhys Patchell, who is rewarded for last week’s cameo performance during the 22-17 loss to Ireland, and Tomos Williams. Leigh Halfpenny, George North, Josh Adams and centres Jonathan Davies and Hadleigh Parks will also start.

Ahead of Wales’ departure for the World Cup next Wednesday, head coach Warren Gatland said: “This is our final preparation match so it is important we get enough rugby into us, get rugby ready ahead of our World Cup opener against Georgia which is just over two weeks away.

“It is important we hit the ground running in Japan and we give the players enough time on the field. Saturday is the first time these players would have taken to the field as members of the World Cup squad, it has been a big week and it’s a big opportunity for players to put their hand up and secure spots for the starting XV in Japan.”

IRELAND: Rob Kearney (UCD/Leinster); Jordan Larmour (St. Mary’s College/Leinster), Robbie Henshaw (Buccaneers/Leinster), Bundee Aki (Galwegians/Connacht), Keith Earls (Young Munster/Munster); Jonathan Sexton (St. Mary’s College/Leinster), Conor Murray (Garryowen/Munster); Cian Healy (Clontarf/Leinster), Rory Best (Banbridge/Ulster) (capt), Tadhg Furlong (Clontarf/Leinster), James Ryan (UCD/Leinster), Jean Kleyn (Munster), CJ Stander (Shannon/Munster), Josh van der Flier (UCD/Leinster), Jack Conan (Old Belvedere/Leinster).

Replacements: Sean Cronin (St. Mary’s College/Leinster), Dave Kilcoyne (UL Bohemians/Munster), Andrew Porter (UCD/Leinster), Iain Henderson (Queen’s University/Ulster), Rhys Ruddock (St. Mary’s College/Leinster), Luke McGrath (UCD/Leinster), Jack Carty (Buccaneers/Connacht), Garry Ringrose (UCD/Leinster).

WALES: Leigh Halfpenny (Scarlets); George North (Ospreys), Jonathan Davies (Scarlets), Hadleigh Parkes (Scarlets), Josh Adams (Cardiff Blues); Rhys Patchell (Scarlets), Tomos Williams (Cardiff Blues); Wyn Jones (Scarlets), Elliot Dee (Dragons), Tomas Francis (Exeter Chiefs), Jake Ball (Scarlets), Alun Wyn Jones (Ospreys) (capt), Aaron Wainwright (Dragons), Justin Tipuric (Ospreys), Ross Moriarty (Dragons).

Replacements: Ken Owens (Scarlets), Nicky Smith (Ospreys), Dillon Lewis (Cardiff Blues), Adam Beard (Ospreys), Josh Navidi (Cardiff Blues), Gareth Davies (Scarlets), Dan Biggar (Northampton Saints), Liam Williams (Saracens).

Referee: Mathieu Raynal (France)
Assistant Referees: Wayne Barnes, Luke Pearce (both England)
Television Match Official: Graham Hughes (England)

Match Odds (Paddy Power): Ireland to win: 4/9; Draw: 19/1; Wales to win: 9/5

Pre-Match Quotes: Joe Schmidt (Ireland) –

I think you have to fully commit to this game, first and foremost. There is always a risk that if you are half-pied at all, if you are trying to look after yourself for the flight over (to the World Cup), you don’t get the flight because you are half a yard slow and you are slightly vulnerable somewhere.

“I think the best way to protect yourself is to be fully committed to the game and I think the players are driving that message amongst themselves and, hopefully, we’ll see evidence of that.

“If we can get a good performance out of Saturday and show we’ve slowly built through the last three weeks, having freshened up a little bit, starting to enter that phase of tapering to perform. I’d like to think that we can get our timing right and it should be apparent in the performances.

“Obviously, we had to pick up from two weeks ago (the England game at Twickenham), there’s still a lot to pick up from last weekend (against Wales in Cardiff), but I’d hope that the trajectory is heading in the right direction.”

Pre-Match Links –

Head-To-Head: Ireland v Wales

Irish Rugby TV: Best Targeting ‘A Performance To Be Proud Of’

Kearney: Rory Is A Brilliant Leader For Us

Conan: I Don’t Think Anyone Is Nailed On To Start In Back Row

Irish Rugby TV: Ireland v Wales Team Announcement Press Conference

Irish Rugby TV: Conan And Kearney Preview Ireland’s Final Warm-Up Match

Vodafone Ireland And IRFU Announce Four-Year Sponsorship Extension

Recent Meetings –

2017: RBS 6 Nations: Wales 22 Ireland 9, Principality Stadium

2018: NatWest 6 Nations: Ireland 37 Wales 27, Aviva Stadium

2019: Guinness Six Nations: Wales 25 Ireland 7, Principality Stadium; Rugby World Cup Warm-Up: Wales 17 Ireland 22, Principality Stadium

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