O’Leary & Flannery Back In Starting XV
17th March 2009 By Munster Rugby
Tomas O’Leary and Jerry Flannery return to the Ireland starting XV for the championship decider in Cardiff on Saturday while Denis Leamy has recovered from the knock that forced him out of the game against Scotland.
Meanwhile, Wales have made eight changes from the side that scraped a 20-15 victory over Italy last weekend with Ryan Jones returning to lead the side. Back also in the starting line-up are, Tom Shanklin, Stephen Jones, Gethin Jenkins, Matthew Rees, Adam Jones, Ian Gough and Martyn Williams
Ireland: Robert Kearney; Tommy Bowe, Brian O’Driscoll, capt, Gordon D’Arcy, Luke Fitzgerald; Ronan O’Gara, Tomas O’Leary; Marcus Horan, Jerry Flannery, John Hayes; Donncha O’Callaghan, Paul O’Connell; Stephen Ferris, David Wallace, Jamie Heaslip; Replacements: Rory Best, Tom Court, Mick O’Driscoll, Denis Leamy, Peter Stringer, Paddy Wallace, Geordan Murphy (Leicester).
Wales: Lee Byrne; Mark Jones, Tom Shanklin, Gavin Henson, Shane Williams; Stephen Jones, Mike Phillips; Gethin Jenkins, Matthew Rees, Adam Jones, Ian Gough, Alun-Wyn Jones, Ryan Jones (capt), Martyn Williams, Andy Powell. Replacements: Huw Bennett, John Yapp, Luke Charteris, Dafydd Jones, Warren Fury, James Hook, Jamie Roberts.