Schmidt sticks with trusted midfield for Six Nations opener; Stander handed first start
By Brendan O'Brien
CJ Stander will, as predicted, make his Ireland debut against Wales in the sides’ Six Nations opener at the Aviva Stadium on Sunday.
The South African-born Munster captain will make his bow at blindside flanker. Clubmate Tommy O’Donnell starts alongside him at openside after a hamstring injury to Sean O’Brien reduced coach Joe Schmidt’s options.
“Sean O’Brien would have been just on the edge of being available to play,” said Ireland head coach Joe Schmidt.
“But we’d have no concerns about next week for France.
“Rob Kearney should be fully fit at the latest by Thursday next week, but his is a very minor strain that should see him right to train on Tuesday.
“CJ Stander is a really committed character and I hope he’s ready to step up. We felt he would make it a good mix in the absence of Sean O’Brien.”
Leinster’s Jamie Heaslip is the one familiar name in the backrow.
Ireland will start with a team showing nine changes from their last outing, the comprehensive World Cup quarter-final loss to Argentina in Cardiff last October, with injury to Rob Kearney also opening the door for Simon Zebo to line out at full-back.
Schmidt had already been planning without the likes of Peter O’Mahony, Cian Healy, Mike Ross and Iain Henderson.
With so much change enforced by injury and retirement, the head coach has unsurprisingly retained familiar pairings at midfield, where Jared Payne partners Robbie Henshaw, and at half-back, where Jonathan Sexton and Conor Murray renew their long-time collaboration.
Nathan White leaps to the start of the queue at tighthead as a result of the absences of Mike Ross and Marty Moore. Captain Rory Best starts at hooker and Jack McGrath competes the back row. Mike McCarthy partners Devin Toner in the second row.
Here's the @IrishRugby team v @WelshRugbyUnion for Sunday's @rbs_6_nations #ShoulderToShoulder pic.twitter.com/43kvaAGJsJ
— Irish Rugby (@IrishRugby) February 5, 2016
: Simon Zebo, Andrew Trimble, Jared Payne, Robbie Henshaw, Keith Earls, Jonathan Sexton, Conor Murray; Jack McGrath, Rory Best, Nathan White, Devin Toner, Mike McCarthy, CJ Stander, Tommy O’Donnell, Jamie Heaslip.
: Sean Cronin, James Cronin, Tadhg Furlong, Donnacha Ryan, Rhys Ruddock, Kieran Marmion, Ian Madigan, Dave Kearney.
