Head Coach Andy Farrell has named his Ireland team to play New Zealand for Saturday’s Rugby World Cup quarter-final at Stade de France (Kick-off 9pm local time/8pm Irish time).
After progressing through to the last eight as Pool B winners, Ireland go head-to-head with the All Blacks in Paris, with Farrell naming an unchanged starting team from last weekend’s victory over Scotland.
Hugo Keenan, Mack Hansen and James Lowe continue in the back three, with Garry Ringrose and Bundee Aki retained in midfield. Captain Johnny Sexton and Jamison Gibson-Park once again form the half-back pairing.
In the pack, Andrew Porter, Dan Sheehan and Tadhg Furlong are in the front row, as Tadhg Beirne partners Iain Henderson in the engine room. Peter O’Mahony, Josh van der Flier and Caelan Doris complete the Ireland starting team.
On the bench, Ronan Kelleher, Dave Kilcoyne, Finlay Bealham, Joe McCarthy and Jack Conan provide the reinforcements in the pack, with Conor Murray, Jack Crowley and Jimmy O’Brien – in line for his Rugby World Cup debut – completing the match day 23.
Saturday’s match is live on Virgin Media One in the Republic of Ireland and ITV1 in the United Kingdom and there will be live updates here on IrishRugby.ie in our Match Centre.
Ireland team to play 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).
Rugby quiz:
Who could replace Steve Borthwick at Twickenham?
5. Sir Clive Woodward – 20/1
Woodward is the World Cup winning Head Coach who led England’s rugby players to World Cup glory in Australia in 2003.
A former England International and British & Irish Lion himself, prior to his full time coaching career Clive established a successful business career working for nine years with Xerox in the UK and Australia before establishing his own small finance and leasing company.
During Clive’s tenure as Head Coach England moved from 6th in the world to being the number one ranked team, winning every trophy an England team can win.