NUMBER EIGHT CAELAN Doris will captain Ireland in their second Test against South Africa on Saturday in Durban [KO 4pm Irish time, Sky Sports] after Peter O’Mahony was dropped to the bench.
Ireland boss Andy Farrell has brought second row James Ryan into his starting XV, with Tadhg Beirne moving to blindside flanker as O’Mahony is included in a 5/3 bench split.
The other changes to Ireland’s starting side see Garry Ringrose come into midfield in place of Bundee Aki, who misses out on the matchday 23, while Rónan Kelleher and Conor Murray replace the injured Dan Sheehan and Craig Casey at hooker and scrum-half.
Connacht scrum-half Caolin Blade, Ulster hooker Rob Herring, and Ulster centre Stuart McCloskey have all come onto the Irish bench.
Jamie Osborne will win just his second cap at fullback after making his debut in last weekend’s defeat to the Springboks, while this will be Doris’ second time leading Ireland from the start of a game having done it for the first time against Italy in this year’s Six Nations.
O’Mahony was installed as Farrell’s Ireland captain following the retirement of Johnny Sexton after last year’s World Cup but the Munster man has now been dropped to the replacements bench.
A win on Saturday would see Ireland draw their series with the Springboks and Farrell will hope O’Mahony can provide an impact off the bench.
15. Jamie Osborne
14. Calvin Nash
13. Garry Ringrose
12. Robbie Henshaw
11. James Lowe
10. Jack Crowley
9. Conor Murray
1. Andrew Porter
2. Rónan Kelleher
3. Tadhg Furlong
4. Joe McCarthy
5. James Ryan
6. Tadhg Beirne
7. Josh van der Flier
8. Caelan Doris (captain)
Replacements:
16. Rob Herring
17. Cian Healy
18. Finlay Bealham
19. Ryan Baird
20. Peter O’Mahony
21. Caolin Blade
22. Ciarén Frawley
23. Stuart McCloskey
Referee: Karl Dickson [RFU].
Written by Murray Kinsella and originally published on The 42 whose award-winning team produces original content that you won’t find anywhere else: on GAA, League of Ireland, women’s sport and boxing, as well as our game-changing rugby coverage, all with an Irish eye. Subscribe here.
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