RBS SIX NATIONS: England v Ireland
Venue: Twickenham Date: Saturday, 27 February Kick-off: 1600 GMT
Coverage: Watch on BBC One, BBC HD channel, Red Button and online; listen on Radio 5 live and Radio Ulster MW; text commentary on BBC Sport website and mobiles
 O'Driscoll shows his disappointment after Ireland's defeat by France |
Declan Kidney insists that Brian O'Driscoll and Stephen Ferris will start for Ireland against England even though both missed training on Friday. O'Driscoll also did not attend Friday's press conference but Ireland coach Kidney played down suggestions that the skipper is suffering from a virus. "I will go to bed tonight confident that both will be playing tomorrow," said Kidney on Friday afternoon. "Stephen Ferris also didn't train the day before the France game but played." Kidney added:"Brian was feeling a bit off so it was prudent for him not to train. You know when you just don't feel good in yourself. "He's not feeling great so there was no point pushing it on a day like today so he's back in the hotel resting up." Kidney added that no contingency plan had been set up although it is known that Paddy Wallace has travelled to London with the Irish squad, even though he is not in the replacements. Jonathan Sexton will make his first Six Nations start in Saturday's clash after edging out Ronan O'Gara for Ireland's fly-half spot. Sexton starred against South Africa in November but then sustained injury and O'Gara returned for the opening Six Nations games against Italy and France. Geordan Murphy replaces injured Rob Kearney at full-back while Rory Best takes over from banned Jerry Flannery. The other change sees fit-again Donncha O'Callaghan replacing Leo Cullen.  | 606: DEBATE |
John Hayes will win his 100th Ireland cap in the Twickenham clash. Andrew Trimble returns to the Irish bench after being left out of the 22-man squad for the defeat in Paris. The Ulster winger did start in Ireland's opening win over Italy. The bench also includes Leo Cullen, Sean Cronin, Shane Jennings and Eoin Reddan. Sexton's inclusion at fly-half is not a surprise after his impressive showing for Leinster in Saturday's Magners League win over the Scarlets. The Leinster fly-half produced an impeccable display of place-kicking at the RDS and also scored a late try. | Geordan Murphy's experience will compensate for his lack of rugby Ireland coach Declan Kidney |
Ireland coach Declan Kidney played down his decision to plump for Sexton even though it further loosens O'Gara's grip on the number 10 jersey. "We're blessed with two out-halves, one with huge experience, the other up and coming," said Kidney. "I thought it was opportune to give Jon a go this time." Leicester star Murphy will earn his 64th Irish cap after making his last appearance as a replacement in the Grand Slam clinching win over Wales last March. The 31-year-old has been restricted to only three recent Guinness Premiership appearances for the Tigers this season since dislocating his shoulder last September. Kidney acknowledged that Murphy's knowledge of English rugby had been instrumental in his recall. "Geordan's experience will compensate for his lack of rugby. Twickenham is not a ground he's unfamiliar with," said Kidney. "He'll be playing against guys who he knows. That was part of the mix in giving him the nod for this one."
England: D Armitage (London Irish); Cueto (Sale), Tait (Sale), Flutey (Brive), Monye (Harlequins); Wilkinson (Toulon), Care (Harlequins); Payne (Wasps), Dylan Hartley (Northampton), Cole (Leicester), Shaw (Wasps), Borthwick (Saracens, capt), Haskell (Stade Francais), Moody (Leicester), Easter (Harlequins). Replacements: Mears (Bath), Wilson (Bath), Deacon (Leicester), Worsley (Wasps), Hodgson (London Irish), Flood (Leicester), Foden (Northampton). Ireland: Murphy (Leicester), Bowe (Ospreys), O'Driscoll (Leinster, capt), D'Arcy (Leinster), Earls (Munster), Sexton (Leinster), O'Leary (Munster), Healy (Leinster), Best (Ulster), Hayes (Munster), O'Callaghan (Munster), O'Connell (Munster), Ferris (Ulster), Wallace (Munster), Heaslip (Leinster). Replacements: Cronin (Connacht), Buckley (Munster), Cullen (Leinster), Jennings (Leinster), Reddan (Leinster), O'Gara (Munster), Trimble (Ulster).
| 
E-mail this to a friend 
Printable version 
Bookmark with:
What are these?