Seven From Munster To Start For Ireland

Seven Munster players feature in the Ireland starting XV for Sunday’s clash with Australia with two more on the bench.

Ronan O’Gara and Tomas O’Leary form the halfback pairing with O’Gara set to win his 93rd Ireland cap, while Jerry Flannery and John Hayes return to action with the usual lock pairing of Paul O’Connell and Donncha O’Callaghan packing down directly behind them and David Wallace in his normal open-side berth.

Ireland (v Australia, Sunday Croke Park). Rob Kearney, Tommy Bowe, Brian O’Driscoll capt, Paddy Wallace, Luke Fitzgerald; Ronan O’Gara, Tomas O’Leary; Cian Healy, Jerry Flannery, John Hayes; Donncha O’Callaghan, Paul O’Connell; Stephen Ferris, David Wallace, Jamie Heaslip. Replacements: Sean Cronin, Tom Court, Leo Cullen, Denis Leamy,  Eoin Reddan, Jonathan Sexton, Keith Earls.