JOE SCHMIDT HAS named a relatively experienced Ireland XV for tomorrow’s clash with the Barbarians in Thomond Park.
Leinster’s Ian Madigan will direct play from the out-half position, with Ulster’s Paddy Jackson having been included on the bench. Eoin Reddan partners his provincial teammate Madigan in the halfback pairing.
The centre partnership of uncapped Colm O’Shea and Ulsterman Luke Marshall is an intriguing one, the latter having last featured for Ireland in the November Tests last year before suffering with injury problems.
Craig Gilroy’s sublime form in the Guinness Pro12 earns him a start on the left wing, and he’s joined by Rob and Dave Kearney in the back three.
Jamie Heaslip captains the team from number eight in a back row that also includes Ulster pair Robbie Diack and Chris Henry. The return of Henry to an Ireland jersey, even in a non-cap game, is hugely welcome after his heart scare late last year.
Devin Toner and the in-form Dan Tuohy make up the second row, while Schmidt has gone for an all-Leinster front row of Jack McGrath, Richardt Strauss and the uncapped Tadhg Furlong.
The replacements bench includes Cian Kelleher, recent winner of the Ulster Bank League Rising Star award and a man who made his Leinster debut on the last day of their Pro12 season.
Stuart McCloskey, Noel Reid, Rhys Ruddock and Jack Conan are missing from the matchday squad, having been named in the 27-man group at the start of the week.
Ireland XV v Barbarians:
15. Rob Kearney
14. Dave Kearney
13. Colm O’Shea
12. Luke Marshall
11. Craig Gilroy
10. Ian Madigan
9. Eoin Reddan
1. Jack McGrath
2. Richardt Strauss
3. Tadhg Furlong
4. Devin Toner
5. Dan Tuohy
6. Robbie Diack
7. Chris Henry
8. Jamie Heaslip (captain)
Replacements:
16. Rob Herring
17. Michael Bent
18. Mike Ross
19. Ben Marshall
20. Jordi Murphy
21. Luke McGrath
22. Paddy Jackson
23. Cian Kelleher
Madigan…. Surely Jackson deserves a cut considering he is the form 10
Think it’s more Jackson’s been in great form and has proven his quality at ten in last few weeks, whereas Madigan has been Ireland’s back up 10 without playing 10 all season.
I believe both will go to the World Cup anyway. Madigan has probably been probably picked for this game to give him some time at 10.
Jackson probably has nothing to prove to Joe in that respect given his performances in the inter-pro games.
Agree both will likely be in the RWC squad, but I think Madigan is more likely to be on the bench as he covers more positions. Jackson may well start against Romania or Canada but would be surprised if he featured in the Italy and French games – assuming Sexton doesn’t get injured.
Strong team! Hopefully it’s a bitta craic
What’s Colm O’Shea like?
He likes playing rugby at the weekend
That’s well and good but does he like playing it on a Thursday too?
I find his selection strange. Surely there are more deserving of this opportunity? Can someone clue me in? (And if someone says he’s been tearing up the B&I cup, that’s null and void in the context of Irish selection).
He’s played once this year, against Edinburgh last week. His last start for Leinster was nearly 3 and a half, and if I remember correctly he got taken off at half time for O’Malley.
Regardless, I wish him the best of luck on Thursday.
Apologies, if that sounds negative. I don’t mean it to be but I just don’t understand his selection and I really am curious to why he’s picked.
I assume Payne is rested, Cave seems to be carrying a knock, Earls is involved with Munster. McCloskey, Reid and Marshall are primarily 12s. Ringrose is training with the U-20s. The Connacht players weren’t considered after their weekend game. O’Shea is a solid option
Madigan versus Gopperth at 10! That will be the highlight for me. I hope Madigan can play him off the pitch and further cast a shadow over MOCs reign of terror.
Should be a good game, I hope it’s played in the spirit of Barbarians rugby and Ireland win 47 – 45
Team is more than 1 man
Kinda hoped we’d see a Jackson-Reid-McCloskey midfield. A lot of interchanging skills that could make the most out of the wings. Surprised McCloskey isn’t involved at all.
I can’t wait! Hope the weather plays fair!!
Is it on the Telly?..
It’ll be on Sky Sports, Randle.
Ireland v barbarians sky sports1 HD 7.30
England v barbarians sky sports3 HD 3.00
Thank you Conor.
And thank you Mark Gerard..
I can hear Ulster complaining already.
Why???elaborate please
They’re pretty much all exuded from the game along with Munster players due to they’re the teams not knocked out of European competition. It’s a team made almost entirely of the other 2.
Munster JJ???
Munster have the small matter of a pro12 final this week.
A bit confused there JJ
Complaining about what?
What’s the barbarians team like?
Jenno, Gopperth and Pienaar for starters. Nice match up at 10.
15 Kirchner (Leinster)
14 Cuthbert (Cardiff Blues)
13 Rokocoko (Bayonne)
12 Olivier (Montpellier)
11 Smith (Toulon)
10 Gopperth (Leinster)
9 Pienaar (Ulster)
1 Tejerizo (Tucuman)
2 Fourie (Lyon)
3 Jones (Cardiff Blues)
4 Ortega (Castres)
5 Mikautadze (Toulon)
6 Jennings (Leinster, Captain)
7 Vosloo (Toulon)
8 Holani (Panasonic Wild Knights)
It will be interesting to see some of the guys (e.g Ortega from Uruguay or Mikautadze from Georgia) playing representative rugby for a decent team.
Meh.
Not the strongest Baabaas team ever, that’s for sure!
Miles off the calibre of player you’d hope for in a barbarians selection. See most of these guys all the time.
Leinster v BaBas !
Well Munster are busy.
Bitter as ever dermott?
5 Ulster player starting for Ireland and your still whinging
Who cares? Its a baba’s game and means very little other than a chance to see players operating at almost test level. Half the leinster players dont start for leinster and itll be good to partially expand their depth as well as Ireland’s. Munster and Connacht need to recover and Ulster’s key ireland players needn’t be risked (best hendy bowe payne) while only a handful need more time to prove themselves. Wise up lad and quit gurnin
@ Chriss ,did I hit a nerve
Going to this tomorrow, my first Rugby international :)
Nerve no I’m tired of whingers, joe has turned Ireland around and has brought on players from all provinces and actively played and promoted players from all 4 teams but in a game like this he plays more players from the only team that was not playing rugby this weekend or next and we get the likes of yourself claiming bias.
If joe won the World Cup with 22 players from Ulster you’d moan that the ball boy was from Wexford
@ Chris ,You must be only watching rugby since Joe took over , in the 10 years prior to him taking control , lreland won 4 triple crowns ,and 1 grand slam ,+ 3 Heineken cups ,things had got stale ,but by no means was Irish rugby on the ropes ,this game was a good chance to have a look some other guys ,rather than playing a Leinster dominated team with guys whom we know what their capable of ,but of course if anyone says anything ,the likes of you feel the need to attack them .
Dermot I’ve been watching rugby for a very long time. We had a good run under Eddie by fell short every year and then kidney got us the slam. It fell apart after that , we just had the two worst seasons since gatland took over. Beaten by Italy and Scotland ffs.
We have never had even a reasonable World Cup and I’m sorry no coach had played a more varied team that joe does. This constant Leinster bias is annoying but I guess you can’t just help yourself.
Oh and two of those HC were won by joe.
Chris ,I could ave sworn Munster won 2 Heineken cups and Leinster won one before Joe arrived ,but it doesn’t shock me that you thought I was only talking about Leinster ,bye the way !!!
Who does Colm O’Shea play for ?
Ireland
@Ronan Murray:
http://lmgtfy.com/?q=Colm+O%E2%80%99Shea+rugby+player
It’s nice to see Daverage get the chance to put on a green jersey one more time.