THE Ireland team to play South Africa in the opening game of the 2010 Guinness Series shows the return of several players who missed the summer tour to New Zealand and Australia. Luke Fitzgerald starts his first international in nearly a year since playing in the Australia game last November and is named on the left wing, with Tommy Bowe and Rob Kearney making up the other back three positions.
Eoin Reddan has been given the starting birth at scrum half and Rory Best will start at hooker after missing the summer tour due to an ankle injury. Best will pack down in the front row with Tony Buckley and Cian Healy at tight and loose head respectively, both of whom started the last international against Australia.
Donncha O’Callaghan and Mick O’Driscoll also both started the game in June against Australia and will again be the second row partnership for this game. Both Stephen Ferris and David Wallace are named in the back row alongside Jamie Heaslip.
The final replacement spot will be decided later in the week with Paddy Wallace, Andrew Trimble and Keith Earls all in the frame.
Ireland Team (to play South Africa, Guinness Series 2010, Aviva Stadium, November 6th, 17:30)
15 – Robert Kearney (UCD/Leinster)
14 – Tommy Bowe (Ospreys)
13 – Brian O’Driscoll (UCD/Leinster) Captain
12 – Gordon D’Arcy (Lansdowne/Leinster)
11 – Luke Fitzgerald (Blackrcok College/Leinster)
10 – Jonathan Sexton (St.Mary’s College/Leinster)
9 – Eoin Reddan (Lansdowne/Leinster)
1 – Cian Healy (Clontarf/Leinster)
2 – Rory Best (Banbridge/Ulster)
3 – Tony Buckley (Shannon/Munster)
4 – Donncha O’Callaghan (Cork Constitution/Munster)
5 – Mick O’Driscoll (Cork Constitution/Munster)
6 – Stephen Ferris (Dungannon/Ulster)
7 – David Wallace (Garryowen/Munster)
8 – Jamie Heaslip (Naas/Leinster)
Replacements:
16 – Sean Cronin (Buccaneers/Connacht)
17 – Tom Court (Malone/Ulster)
18 – Donnacha Ryan (Shannon/Munster)
19 – Denis Leamy (Cork Constitution/Munster)
20 – Peter Stringer (Shannon/Munster)
21 – Ronan O’Gara (Cork Constitution/Munster)
22 – Keith Earls (Thomond/Munster) / Andrew Trimble (Ballymena/Ulster) / Paddy Wallace (Ballymena/Ulster)
