The Irish rugby team to face New Zealand in this Saturday’s Rugby World Cup quarter-final has been named.
Andy Farrell’s side have put themselves in the best possible position for Saturday, his world number one-ranked charges coming through the pool stages relatively unscathed and with four wins from four over Romania, Tonga, South Africa and Scotland. Topping the pool meant they would face the runners up in Pool A who happen to be New Zealand with hosts France also picking up four wins from four, knocking the All Blacks back into second place.
This weekend’s other semi-finals see Wales and Argentina meet at 4pm on Saturday in Marselle while on Sunday the same venue will host England v Fiji from 4pm while France take on South Africa at the Stade de France at 8pm.
Ireland’s crunch clash with New Zealand airs at 8pm this Saturday evening.
Mack Hansen and James Lowe have both been named to start while Johnny Sexton captains the side from out half, while Iain Henderson starts in the second row. Keith Earls, Robbie Henshaw and James Ryan all miss out on the matchday squad. Jimmy O’Brien and Joe McCarthy are both among the replacements.
Irish team to face New Zealand
15. Hugo Keenan (Leinster/UCD)(35)
14. Mack Hansen (Connacht/Corinthians)(20)
13. Garry Ringrose (Leinster/UCD)(56)
12. Bundee Aki (Connacht/Galwegians)(51)
11. James Lowe (Leinster)(25)
10. Johnny Sexton (Leinster/St Mary’s College) (Captain) (117)
9. Jamison Gibson-Park (Leinster)(29)
1. Andrew Porter (Leinster/UCD)(58)
2. Dan Sheehan (Leinster/Lansdowne)(20)
3. Tadhg Furlong (Leinster/Clontarf)(71)
4. Tadhg Beirne (Munster/Lansdowne)(45)
5. Iain Henderson (Ulster/Academy)(78)
6. Peter O’Mahony (Munster/Cork Constitution)(100)
7. Josh van der Flier (Leinster/UCD)(56)
8. Caelan Doris (Leinster/St Mary’s College)(35)
Replacements:
16. Ronan Kelleher (Leinster/Lansdowne)(25)
17. David Kilcoyne (Munster/UL Bohemians)(55)
18. Finlay Bealham (Connacht/Buccaneers)(35)
19. Joe McCarthy (Leinster/Dublin University)(4)
20. Jack Conan (Leinster/Old Belvedere)(40)
21. Conor Murray Munster/Garryowen)(111)
22. Jack Crowley (Munster/Cork Constitution)(9)
23. Jimmy O’Brien (Leinster/Naas)(6).
Get reaction from the game on Scoreline this weekend with a buildup on the next installment of The Knock On Rugby Podcast, available wherever you do your podcast listening.
