Ireland coach Declan Kidney picked five uncapped players on Monday in his final 32-man squad for his team’s Six Nations opener against Wales.
Sport24
Having picked an initial 24-man squad based entirely on last year’s Rugby World Cup squad, Kidney dropped lock Leo Cullen and promoted center Eoin O’Malley, backrow Peter O’Mahony, prop Brett Wilkinson and wings David Kearney and Simon Zebo from the second-string Wolfhounds.
Fullback Denis Hurley, lock Dan Tuohy and back rows Chris Henry and Rhys Ruddock have also been drafted into the squad for Sunday’s match.
Kidney will name his lineup on Wednesday, with Keith Earls, Tommy Bowe, Fergus McFadden and Andrew Trimble competing to replace injured captain Brian O’Driscoll at outside center.
Ireland:
Backs: Tommy Bowe, Gordon D’Arcy, Keith Earls, Denis Hurley, David Kearney, Rob Kearney, Fergus McFadden, Conor Murray, Ronan O’Gara, Eoin O’Malley, Eoin Reddan, Jonathan Sexton, Andrew Trimble, Paddy Wallace, Simon Zebo.
Forwards: Rory Best, Tom Court, Sean Cronin, Stephen Ferris, Cian Healy, Jamie Heaslip, Chris Henry, Shane Jennings, Sean O’Brien, Donncha O’Callaghan, Paul O’Connell (captain), Peter O’Mahony, Mike Ross, Rhys Ruddock, Donnacha Ryan, Dan Tuohy, Brett Wilkinson.