Ireland Team for Barbarians Game
The summer tour warm-up game will see a few new faces with several internationals on duty for Munster at the weekend in the Heineken Cup final.
Bob Casey makes a return to the second row to play alongside the experienced Malcolm O’Kelly. Harlequins prop Mike Ross will make his senior Ireland debut (although this is a non capped match) in the front row with Rory Best and Bryan Young.
First Choice No. 8 throughout the Six Nations, Jamie Heaslip is joined by his Leinster Colleague Shane Jennings and Ulster’s Stephen Ferris in a new back row combination.
Brian O’Driscoll gets a new partner in the backline, Luke Fitzgerald will join him at centre. Isaac Boss and Paddy Wallace are the half backs with a back three of Shane Horgan and Tommy Bowe on the wings and Rob Kearney at full back.
Four uncapped players appear alongside some regular names in the replacements Tom Court, Ryan Caldwell, Jonathon Sexton and Frank Murphy.
Interim Coach, Michael Bradley said:
“These games are always exciting, high tempo matches. From that perspective it will be good preparation for us as we head into the tour where the teams have been playing a fast and loose game under the new ELV’s”.
“The Baabaa’s game will be important for the players to get up to that pace of play before we arrive in New Zealand and also for the Churchill Cup players in the match squad ahead of their tour. Overall, the array of talent that the Baba’s will have on show is of the highest calibre, so it will be good test for us , but I think we can get an awful lot out of the game ahead of the tour”.
Commenting on the new Centre partnership Bradley said,
“I suppose one of the main talking points of the selection will be the new centre partnership as there has been plenty of discussion about where Luke’s (Fitzgerald) best position is. This was the ideal opportunity to try Luke in midfield in a pressure situation against quality opposition and both he and Brian (O’Driscoll) have enough talent to make it work”.
Ireland Team (to play The Barbaians, Kingsholm, Gloucester, Tuesday May 27th K.O. 7:45)
Player/Club/Province
15 : Rob Kearney (UCD/Leinster)
14 : Shane Horgan (Boyne/Leinster)
13 : Brian O’Driscoll (UCD/Leinster) (Captain)
12 : Luke Fitzgerald (Blackrock College/Leinster)
11 : Tommy Bowe (Belfast Harlequins/Ulster)
10 : Paddy Wallace (Ballymena/Ulster)
9 : Isaac Boss (Ballymena/Ulster)
1 : Bryan Young (Ballymena/Ulster)
2 : Rory Best (Belfast Harlequins/Ulster)
3 : Mike Ross (Harlequins)
4 : Bob Casey (London Irish)
5 : Malcolm O’Kelly (St.Mary’s College/Leinster)
6 : Stephen Ferris (Dungannon/Ulster)
7 : Shane Jennings (St.Mary’s College/Leinster)
8 : Jamie Heaslip (Clontarf/Leinster)
Replacements
16 : Bernard Jackman (Clontarf/Leinster)
17 : Tom Court (Ballymena/Ulster)
18 : Ryan Caldwell (Dungannon/Ulster)
19 : Neil Best (Belfast Harlequins/Ulster)
20 : Frank Murphy (Leicester)
21 : Jonathon Sexton (St.Mary’s College/Leinster)
22 : Girvan Dempsey (Terenure College/Leinster)