Ireland team named for first Aviva outing of 2017 RBS 6 Nations Championship

Feb 24 • General News, International • 1155 Views • Comments Off on Ireland team named for first Aviva outing of 2017 RBS 6 Nations Championship

The Ireland Coaching Group have named the match day 23 that will welcome France to the Aviva Stadium on Saturday for Ireland’s first home game of the 2017 RBS 6 Nations Championship.

Rory Best returns to captain the team after being sidelined in Rome through illness. Best is joined in the front row by Jack McGrath and Tadhg Furlong. The engine room sees Devin Toner and Donnacha Ryan paired once again with Jamie Heaslip, Sean O’Brien and CJ Stander filling the back row slots to complete the pack.

Conor Murray and Johnny Sexton are named at half-back with Robbie Henshaw and Garry Ringrose continuing their midfield partnership. Rob Kearney, Keith Earls and Simon Zebo fill the backfield positions.

The replacements include Niall Scannell, Cian Healy, John Ryan, Iain Henderson, Peter O’Mahony, Kieran Marmion, Paddy Jackson and Andrew Trimble.

IRELAND team to play France – Saturday 25th February 2017

15. Rob Kearney (UCD/Leinster) 74 caps
14. Keith Earls (Young Munster/Munster) 56 caps
13. Garry Ringrose (UCD/Leinster) 5 caps
12. Robbie Henshaw (Buccaneers/Leinster) 26 caps
11. Simon Zebo (Cork Constitution/Munster) 30 caps
10. Johnny Sexton (St Mary’s College/Leinster) 63 caps
9. Conor Murray (Garryowen/Munster) 55 caps

8. Jamie Heaslip (Dublin University/Leinster) vc 93 caps
7. Sean O’Brien (UCD/Leinster) 46 caps
6. CJ Stander (Shannon/Munster) 12 caps
5. Devin Toner (Lansdowne/Leinster) 44 caps
4. Donnacha Ryan (Shannon/Munster) 44 caps
3. Tadhg Furlong (Clontarf/Leinster) 13 caps
2. Rory Best (Banbridge/Ulster) c 101 caps
1. Jack McGrath (St. Mary’s/Leinster) 38 caps

Replacements
16. Niall Scannell (Dolphin/Munster) 1 cap
17. Cian Healy (Clontarf/Leinster) 64 caps
18. John Ryan (Cork Constitution/Munster) 3 caps
19. Iain Henderson (Ballynahinch/Ulster) 29 caps
20. Peter O’Mahony (Cork Constitution/Munster) 37 caps
21. Kieran Marmion (Corinthians/Connacht) 10 caps
22. Paddy Jackson (Dungannon/Ulster) 21 caps
23. Andrew Trimble (Ballymena/Ulster) 69 caps