Ireland head coach Joe Schmidt has rung the changes to his team for Saturday’s second Test against South Africa, five new faces in the starting XV and five more on the replacements bench for Ellis Park, writes Simon Lewis.
Ireland take a 1-0 lead into this potential series decider at the Springboks’ spiritual home following an historic 26-20 victory in the opener at Newlands in Cape Town last Saturday.
Here's the Ireland team for 2nd test v @Springboks 5 Changes and 1 new cap to start #TeamOfUs #ShoulderToShoulder pic.twitter.com/ZElrX7R5n4
— Irish Rugby (@IrishRugby) June 16, 2016
The combination of a physically intense first Test which saw Ireland play with 14 men for 57 minutes and already tired bodies at the tail end of a season which saw the bulk of Schmidt’s squad enter their pre-World Cup training camp last June 29, has prompted the head coach to freshen things up.
Among the more surprising selections are a Test debut for Connacht’s South African-born lock Quinn Roux, packing down behind Tadhg Furlong, who replaces Mike Ross for his first Test start.
With CJ Stander suspended following his controversial sending off last week at Newlands, Iain Henderson moves from the second row to fill the vacancy at blindside flanker while Rhys Ruddock replaces Jordi Murphy at openside.
The backline sees two changes with Stuart Olding replacing Ulster team-mate Luke Marshall at inside centre for his first cap since November 2014, while another Ulsterman comes onto the left wing with Craig Gilroy in for Keith Earls, who suffered cramp post-match last weekend.
There could be two further Test debuts alongside Roux from the bench with Connacht back three player Tiernan O’Halloran and Ulster back row Sean Reidy named among the substitutes. Also given a first chance of some action on this three-Test tour are hooker Richardt Strauss, who comes in for Sean Cronin, and Dave Kilcoyne and Donnacha Ryan of Munster.
Kilcoyne’s place as loosehead sub comes as Finlay Bealham of Connacht switches his deputy duties to tighthead with no place in the matchday squad for veteran Mike Ross, given a rare weekend off.
Ryan’s inclusion as second-row cover is at the expense of Connacht’s Ultan Dillane, while Reidy is handed his opportunity from the trickle down caused by Stander’s suspension.
Ireland: J Payne (Ulster); A Trimble (Ulster), R Henshaw (Connacht), S Olding (Ulster), C Gilroy (Ulster); P Jackson (Ulster), C Murray (Munster); J McGrath (Leinster), R Best (Ulster), T Furlong (Leinster); D Toner (Leinster), Q Roux (Connacht); I Henderson (Ulster), R Ruddock (Leinster), J Heaslip (Leinster).
Replacements: R Strauss (Leinster), D Kilcoyne (Munster), F Bealham (Connacht), D Ryan (Munster), S Reidy (Ulster), K Marmion (Connacht), I Madigan (Leinster), T O’Halloran (Connacht).
