O’Gara And O’Driscoll In Charge At Kingsholm.
28th May 2012 By jess
Ronan O’Gara and Mick O’Driscoll, who between them have won nearly 430 Munster caps, will lead out the sides tonight when Ireland take on the Barbarians at Kingsholm (7.45).
O'Gara who leads an Irish side that includes six of his Munster colleagues will on with the Irish squad to New Zealand while O'Driscoll will remain with the BaBas for their final game against Wales.
Alongside O'Gara in the Ireland backline will be the now familiar Conor Murray, Keith Earls operating in the unfamiliar number 15 jersey and Simon Zebo who pulls on the Ireland senior jersey for the first time.
Mike Sherry also makes his senior debut in this non-cap game with Donncha Ryan at lock and Peter O'Mahony achoring the Irish scrum.
There's a long overdue inclusion for James Coughlan in the match day squad, the Dolphin clubman will hopefully get to play his first game since breaking a bone in his hand in the Heineken Cup quarter final clash with Ulster.
Ireland: K Earls; C Gilroy, D Cave, P Wallace, S Zebo; R O’Gara (capt), C Murray; B Wilkinson, M Sherry, D Fitzpatrick; D Tuohy, D Ryan; J Muldoon, C Henry, P O’Mahony. Replacements: R Best, R Loughney, D O’Callaghan, J Coughlan, P Marshall, N Spence, A Trimble.
Barbarians: C Heymans; P Sackey, M Tindall, D Traille, S Tagicakibau; F Contepomi, R Lawson; D Jones, B August, J Afoa; M O’Driscoll (capt), C Van Zyl; M Gorgodze, F Louw, R Lakafia. Replacements: A de Malmanche, N Tialata, P Taele, A Qera, R Rees, S Donald, I Nacewa.