Paul O’Connell Named Ireland Captain

Ireland Head Coach Joe Schmidt today named Paul O’Connell as Ireland Squad Captain.

With O'Connell named in the replacements for Saturday's opening Guinness Series game against Samoa, vice-captain Jamie Heaslip will lead the side.

Munster's Conor Murray and Peter O'Mahony are named in the starting XV with Murray linking up with Ulster's Paddy Jackson in the half-backs while O'Mahony joins Chris Henry and Jamie Heaslip in the backrow.

Ireland take on Samoa at the Aviva Stadium on Saturday November 9th, ko 5.45pm.

Ireland Squad:

15. Rob Kearney (UCD/Leinster) 46
14. Tommy Bowe (Belfast Harlequins/Ulster) 51
13. Brian O'Driscoll (UCD/Leinster) 125
12. Gordon D'Arcy (Lansdowne/Leinster) 73
11. Fergus McFadden (Old Belvedere/Leinster) 19
10. Paddy Jackson (Dungannon/Ulster) 4
9. Conor Murray (Garryowen/Munster) 19
8. Jamie Heaslip (Dublin University/Leinster) 57
7. Chris Henry (Malone/Ulster) 8
6. Peter O'Mahony (Cork Constitution/Munster) 16
5. Devin Toner (Lansdowne/Leinster) 7
4. Mike McCarthy (Leinster) 12
3. Mike Ross (Clontarf/Leinster) 31
2. Rory Best (Banbridge/Ulster) 67
1. Jack McGrath (St Mary's College/Leinster)*

Replacements:
16. Sean Cronin (St Mary's College/Leinster) 27
17. Cian Healy (Clontarf/Leinster) 39
18. Declan Fitzpatrick (Dungannon/Ulster) 5
19. Paul O'Connell (Young Munster/Munster) 85
20. Sean O'Brien (UCD/Leinster) 27
21. Eoin Reddan (Lansdowne/Leinster) 50
22. Ian Madigan (Blackrock College/Leinster) 4
23. Dave Kearney (Lansdowne/Leinster)*

* Denotes uncapped player