Ireland Men’s interim Head Coach Paul O’Connell has named the Ireland team to face Portugal in the second game of the two-Test Summer series on Saturday evening in Estádio Nacional do Jamor, Lisbon (kick off 7 pm local, same Irish time). There are five Connacht players in the squad, with four of them starting, including first caps for Shayne Bolton and High Gavin.
There are three debutants in the starting XV, with Connacht’s Shayne Bolton lining out on the left wing in a back three featuring Leinster duo Jimmy O’Brien, who continues at full-back, and right wingTommy O’Brien. The backline sees one further change from the side that defeated Georgia in Tbilisi last weekend, with Munster’s Jack Crowley set to earn his 26th appearance at out-half alongside captain Craig Casey, who continues at scrum-half. Stuart McCloskey and Connacht debutante Hugh Gavin will link up in midfield. Up front, Munster’s Alex Kendellen will make his first international appearance in a back row which includes Ryan Baird and the returning Cian Prendergast. Tom Ahern comes in for his first start, having made his debut in Tbilisi last weekend, and he will partner Darragh Murray at second row, with the front row of Jack Boyle, Gus McCarthy and Thomas Clarkson unchanged.
Calvin Nash is a late addition to the replacements, and he is joined by Ben Murphy and Ciaran Frawley as Ireland’s backline replacements. Tom O’Toole joins Tom Stewart and Michael Milne in providing front-row impact off the bench, with Cormac Izuchukwu and Max Deegan completing the replacements. Portugal will become the 21st nation that Ireland has awarded caps against and the first “new” nation since facing Russia in 2002.
Galway Bay FM's William Davies has been speaking to Ireland Interim Coach Paul O'Connell...
Ireland Team & Replacements
15: Jimmy O’Brien (Naas RFC/Leinster)(9)
14: Tommy O’Brien (Blackrock College RFC/Leinster)(1)
13: Hugh Gavin (Galwegians RFC/Connacht)*
12: Stuart McCloskey (Bangor RFC/Ulster)(20)
11: Shayne Bolton (Connacht)*
10: Jack Crowley (Cork Constitution FC/Munster)(25)
9: Craig Casey (Shannon RFC/Munster)(captain)(19)
1: Jack Boyle (UCD RFC/Leinster)(3)
2: Gus McCarthy (UCD RFC/Leinster)(5)
3: Thomas Clarkson (Blackrock College RFC/Leinster)(7)
4: Tom Ahern (Shannon RFC/Munster)(1)
5: Darragh Murray (Buccaneers RFC/Connacht)(1)
6: Ryan Baird (Dublin University FC/Leinster)(28)
7: Alex Kendellen (UCC RFC/Munster)*
8: Cian Prendergast (UCD RFC/Connacht)(4)
Replacements:
16: Tom Stewart (Ballynahinch RFC/Ulster)(3)
17: Michael Milne (UCD RFC/Munster)(1)
18: Tom O’Toole (Ballynahinch RFC/Ulster)(16)
19: Cormac Izuchukwu (Ballynahinch RFC/Ulster)(2)
20: Max Deegan (Lansdowne FC/Leinster)(3)
21: Ben Murphy (Clontarf FC/Connacht)(1)
22: Ciaran Frawley (UCD RFC/Leinster)(8)
23: Calvin Nash (Young Munster/Munster)(11)
