Ireland v Samoa Venue: Aviva Stadium, Dublin Date: Saturday 13 November Kick-off: 1430 GMT Coverage: Live on BBC Two NI, BBC Sport Website and BBC Radio Ulster MW; text commentary on BBC Sport website
 Declan Kidney at Tuesday's press conference in Dublin |
Ireland coach Declan Kidney has accepted responsibility for the tactics that led to his team's poor performance in Saturday's defeat by South Africa. Kidney acknowledged that his team's attempts to adopt an expansive game in the wet conditions had been a mistake. "I'll put my hand up and say I didn't cover the avenue of what happens if it buckets down on Saturday," said Kidney. The Ireland coach has made 10 changes for Saturday's Test against Samoa at the Aviva Stadium. Despite Saturday's disappointment, Kidney is refusing to abandon the style of play that he believes capitalises on Ireland's strengths. "We're bitterly disappointed by Saturday but we know we can play better," he said. "We have a plan and what you don't want to do is let what happened on Saturday make you tighten up.  | 606: DEBATE |
"We know the way we want to play, we want to play the Irish way and we're not trying to imitate anyone. We're looking to play to our strengths." Agreeing that Ireland's lack of a plan B backfired badly against the Springboks, Kidney added:"We'll learn from it and I believe we'll become a better side for it." However, it will be a radically different line-up that takes to the field against the big-hitting Pacific islanders, with 24-year-old Leinster lock Devin Toner making his Test debut. The clamour for Ronan O'Gara's recall after his impressive late introduction against South Africa has been answered with the veteran fly-half selected alongside Peter Stringer in preference to Jonathan Sexton and Eoin Reddan. Ulster duo Paddy Wallace and Andrew Trimble are selected at inside centre and on the left wing while Luke Fitzgerald's positional switch from wing to full-back lifts the total number of changes in the starting line-up to 11. Prop Tom Court and hooker Sean Cronin figure in a new-look front row that is completed by the return of veteran tight-head prop John Hayes. Flanker David Wallace is replaced by Sean O'Brien while Denis Leamy is preferred ahead of Stephen Ferris in the number six jersey.
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