Four Munster Men In Ireland Team To Face Italy

8th February 2018 By The Editor

Peter O'Mahony and Conor Murray celebrate beating France last Saturday

The Ireland coaching group have named the match day 23 for their second fixture of the 6 Nations Championship as they host Conor O’Shea’s Italy in round 2 of the NatWest 6 Nations at the Aviva Stadium on Saturday afternoon.

Munster’s Peter O’Mahony, Conor Murray and Keith Earls will start the clash with CJ Stander among the replacements.

Rory Best leads the side on the occasion of his 108th cap and is joined in the front row by Jack McGrath and Tadhg Furlong.

Iain Henderson and Devin Toner line-out in the second row with O’Mahony at blindside, Dan Leavy on the openside and Jack Conan at No.8.

Murray, who won his 60th cap last week again partners Johnny Sexton, who will win his 70th on Saturday, in the half backs while Bundee Aki and Robbie Henshaw are paired in the centres.

Rob Kearney, winning his 80th cap, is at fullback with Earls and Jacob Stockdale on the wings in an uncahnged backline from Paris.

The uncapped Jordan Larmour is in line for his first cap as he his named in the replacements which also includes Sean Cronin, Cian Healy, Andrew Porter, Quinn Roux, Stander, Kieran Marmion and Joey Carbery.

IRELAND Team & Replacements (v Italy, 2018 NatWest 6 Nations Championship, Aviva Stadium, Saturday, February 10, kick-off 2.15pm Irish time):

Player/Club/Province/Caps –

15 Rob Kearney (UCD/Leinster) 79

14 Keith Earls (Young Munster/Munster) 63

13 Robbie Henshaw (Buccaneers/Leinster) 32

12 Bundee Aki (Galwegians/Connacht) 3

11 Jacob Stockdale (Ballynahinch/Ulster) 5

10 Jonathan Sexton (St. Mary’s College/Leinster) 69

9 Conor Murray (Garryowen/Munster) 60

1 Jack McGrath (St. Mary’s College/Leinster) 43

2 Rory Best (Banbridge/Ulster) (capt) 106

3 Tadhg Furlong (Clontarf/Leinster) 19