Ryan & Earls Set For Irish Return

Ireland Head Coach Joe Schmidt has named his side for Saturday’s World Cup warm-up clash with Wales at the Millennium Stadium and includes Munster’s Donnacha Ryan and Keith Earls in the starting line-up. In total, six Munster players feature in the matchday 23.

Incidentally Ireland’s 6 Nations encounter against Italy in March 2013 was the last time both Ryan and Earls featured in the green of Ireland, with a number of injuries keeping the duo out of international contention for an extended period.

Starting in the second row, Ryan is joined by his Munster team-mate Tommy O’Donnell in the pack, who starts at openside.

Earls makes his international return at outside centre with Felix Jones starting at full-back, while Dave Kilcoyne and Simon Zebo complete the Munster representation having been named amongst the replacements.

IRELAND team to play Wales, Saturday 8^th August 2015, Millennium Stadium – KO 2.30pm.

15. Felix Jones (Shannon/Munster)
14. Andrew Trimble (Ballymena/Ulster)
13. Keith Earls (Young Munster/Munster)
12. Darren Cave (Belfast Harlequins/Ulster)
11. Fergus McFadden (Old Belvedere/Leinster)
10. Paddy Jackson (Dungannon/Ulster)
9. Eoin Reddan (Old Crescent/Leinster)

8. Jamie Heaslip (Dublin University/Leinster) capt
7. Tommy O'Donnell (UL Bohemians/Munster)
6. Jordi Murphy (Lansdowne/Leinster)
5. Donnacha Ryan (Shannon/Munster)
4. Iain Henderson (Ballynahinch/Ulster)
3. Mike Ross (Clontarf/Leinster)
2. Richardt Strauss (Old Wesley/Leinster)
1. Jack McGrath (St. Mary's College/Leinster)

Replacements
16. Rory Best (Banbridge/Ulster)
17. Dave Kilcoyne (UL Bohemians/Munster)
18. Michael Bent (Dublin University/Leinster)
19. Dan Tuohy (Ballymena/Ulster)
20. Chris Henry (Malone/Ulster)
21. Kieran Marmion (Corinthians/Connacht)
22. Ian Madigan (Blackrock/Leinster)
23. Simon Zebo (Cork Con/Munster)