British & Irish Lions
• British & Irish Lions tour Australia in 2013
Ireland Rugby
No Changes for Ireland!
Declan Kidney has named the same side for the Italy game (including replacements) as that which defeated France 30-21 at Croke Park.
Paddy Wallace’s position was thought to be under threat after Gordon D’Arcy’s return (and try!) during Saturday’s match. Wallace left the pitch covered in blood but has been given the all-clear for the game in Rome.
Flannery has recovered from his shoulder ‘stinger’ and stays in the squad whilst Kidney resists calls to bring in Keith Earls or squeeze Denis Leamy into the back-row.
O’Driscoll will earn his 90th cap, and John Hayes will equal the current Irish record of 91 appearance (the record is held by Malcolm O’Kelly who is named in the replacements!).
IRELAND TEAM & REPLACEMENTS (v Italy, 2009 RBS 6 Nations Championship, Stadio Flaminio, Sunday, February 15, kick-off 3.30pm local time/2.30pm Irish time):
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 - Malcolm O’Kelly (St. Mary’s College – Leinster)
19 - Denis Leamy (Cork Constitution – Munster)
20 - Peter Stringer (Shannon – Munster)
21 - Gordon D’Arcy (Lansdowne – Leinster)
22 - Geordan Murphy (Leicester)