Ireland coach Andy Farrell has made nine changes to his starting side for Saturday's Nations Championship clash against Japan in Newcastle, with Tadhg Beirne set to captain the team for the first time. Only six players retain their places from last week's dramatic 33-31 victory over Australia in Sydney.
Farrell Rings Changes with an Eye on New Zealand
The retained players are backs Stuart McCloskey, Jamie Osborne and Jimmy O'Brien, along with forwards Tom O'Toole, James Ryan and Jack Conan. Farrell has one eye on the blockbuster clash with New Zealand at Eden Park on July 18. Connacht back-row forward Sean Jansen will start for the first time at No.8, while provincial teammates Billy Bohan and Sam Illo are set for debuts off the bench. Ulster flanker Bryn Ward was also included in the matchday squad for the first time.
"Really excited about this one for all sorts of reasons," said Farrell. "Obviously, it's always a special occasion when you give one person a debut, never mind four. I'm looking forward to how they apply themselves to attacking the game first and foremost, because that's the roles they're able to add to the team. But also making sure that the rest of the team are there to support them for it to be a special day for them."
Positional Switches and New Combinations
Having started on the wing last weekend, Osborne switches to fullback in a back three alongside O'Brien and Jacob Stockdale. Robbie Henshaw comes into centre to partner McCloskey, with a new-look halves pairing in Craig Casey and Ciaran Frawley. In the pack, the front row sees O'Toole, Ronan Kelleher and Thomas Clarkson combine, with the experienced Beirne partnering James Ryan in the second row.
Beirne has taken over the captaincy on-field before, but never started as skipper. "Tadhg captaining his country for the first time is a huge honour for him," said Farrell. "He typifies everything that we'd want with a captain of Ireland. How he goes about his job, how he understands what it is that we're after as a team, driving standards, all of that. He typifies that. So he really deserves that."
Conan switches to blindside flanker, with Nick Timoney named at openside and Jansen completing the starting team at No.8. Ireland said during the week they were injury-free, bar Munster prop Jeremy Loughman who suffered a concussion after coming off the bench against Australia. Farrell's men comfortably beat Japan 41-10 when they last met, in Dublin in November.
Ireland Team to Face Japan
Starting XV (15-1): Jamie Osborne; Jimmy O'Brien, Robbie Henshaw, Stuart McCloskey, Jacob Stockdale; Ciaran Frawley, Craig Casey; Sean Jansen, Nick Timoney, Jack Conan; James Ryan, Tadhg Beirne (capt); Tom Clarkson, Ronan Kelleher, Tom O'Toole.
Replacements: Tom Stewart, Billy Bohan, Sam Illo, Cormac Izuchukwu, Bryn Ward, Nathan Doak, Harry Byrne, Bundee Aki.
