JOE SCHMIDT HAS named an unchanged Ireland team to face Wales in the Six Nations on Friday night at the Principality Stadium [KO 8.05pm].
22-year-old Garry Ringrose has kept his place at outside centre and will win his seventh Ireland cap alongside Robbie Henshaw in the midfield.
With Ireland having recorded consecutive wins over Italy and France in the two most recent rounds of the championship, it was always likely that Schmidt would opt for a settled side ahead of the trip to Cardiff.
Johnny Sexton and Conor Murray will again lead Ireland around the pitch as the halfbacks, while Simon Zebo, Keith Earls and Rob Kearney – fully recovered from a groin issue – complete the backline.
A forward pack of Jack McGrath, captain Rory Best, Tadhg Furlong, Donnacha Ryan, Devin Toner, CJ Stander, Sean O’Brien and Jamie Heaslip has a familiar feel to it.
Cian Healy and Peter O’Mahony, who had strong claims to start, have to be content with bench roles again this weekend.
The only change to Ireland’s matchday squad from the victory against France is an injury-enforced one, with Tommy Bowe replacing Andrew Trimble in the number 23 shirt after his Ulster team-mate suffered a broken hand during last weekend’s Pro12 action.
Bowe had missed out on inclusion in the initial 36-man Ireland squad for the final two rounds of the championship, but leaps ahead of the likes of Craig Gilroy and Andrew Conway after being called up due to Trimble’s injury.
Ireland (v Wales):
15. Rob Kearney
14. Keith Earls
13. Garry Ringrose
12. Robbie Henshaw
11. Simon Zebo
10. Johnny Sexton
9. Conor Murray
1. Jack McGrath
2. Rory Best (captain)
3. Tadhg Furlong
4. Donnacha Ryan
5. Devin Toner
6. CJ Stander
7. Sean O’Brien
8. Jamie Heaslip
Replacements:
16. Niall Scannell
17. Cian Healy
18. John Ryan
19. Iain Henderson
20. Peter O’Mahony
21. Kieran Marmion
22. Paddy Jackson
23. Tommy Bowe
Referee: Wayne Barnes [RFU].
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Wenger says he hasn’t lost players, sounds like an Egyptian swimmer to me………in denial.
The delusion is amazing at this point.
Lol
I mean it’s not completely his fault the players are shite to be fair
@Conall Ó Briain: he bought the shite players . So yes it is completely his fault
@Shane Murphy: I wouldn’t say they’re shite players they are just playing shite. Sanchez and Ozil can be great
@Conall Ó Briain: Sanchez can, Ozil is a waster.
@David: Ozil is always the scapegoa for Arsenal. Goal and assist last week for him. Sanchez can be absent just as much as Ozil from games when he’s needed. The squad as a whole don’t have the fight in them
@David: scapegoat*
Sympathy and tactical advice from Big Sam.. thts a portent tht AWs time is done!
I could agree with you Arsene, but then we’d both be wrong.
Little Bo Peep , oh sorry they were sheep !!! Ferguson 8-2 , Jose 6-0 on 1000 match in charge , pep 5-1 in Allianz, Ancoletti 10-2 on aggregate , pulis 3-1 , fat sam 3-0 ,,koeman 4-0 pochetinno is sharpening his knife , 4 points from last 8 away games,how much humiliation can a manager and a club take
@ger gavin: That’s embarrassing, you’ve gone back quite a few years there to make an example. Most teams get a beating like that every now and again, not just Arsenal.
@ger gavin: up to date version: BAYERN 10-2 LIVERPOOL 3-1 WEST BROM 3-1
@Ollie Watson: i had the Pulis 3-1 , forgot the liverpool 5-1
@ger gavin: says the sad spud whose team last won a Title back when there wasn’t even colour photographs…1961…and who last won an FA Cup in 1991. Wenger has won 3 Premier Titles Spuds zero nil zilch nada…now get back in yr box spud.
Wonder who gets the chop first. Wenger or mourinho. Please God it’s the latter.
@BoomBoomBonnie: you hopefully!
@BoomBoomBonnie: of course you hope it Jose as your running scared of what he WILL achieve!!!
@BoomBoomBonnie: but your a Liverpool fan like me
@Mark Nugent: i hate choose. Tra la la la la
@Hoof Hearted: hahahhahahah tks for that
If Wenger had an ounce of sense he’d announce he’s leaving at the end of the season right now, that way he might actually get the team motivated again and his achievements would be lauded in the media.
Instead he’s going to go out in ridicule with a team and fans that are sick to death of him.