Best is only change for Ireland
Tuesday, 7 November 2006 13:35Watch and listen to Ireland v South Africa live on RTÉ Two and RTÉ Radio 1 this Saturday.
The Ireland team to play South Africa in the opening game of the Guinness Autumn series shows one change to the starting fifteen which lost 37-15 in the last summer tour Test match against Australia.
Hooker Rory Best comes into the side in place of the injured Jerry Flannery to win his fourth cap and first start for Ireland. Peter Stringer has been named at scrum-half and will be winning his 70th cap.
The replacements bench sees the return of Frankie Sheahan, Malcolm O'Kelly and Simon Easterby who all missed the summer tour due to injury. They are joined there by the uncapped Paddy Wallace.
The team will be captained by Brian O'Driscoll for the 31st time.
The Ireland team to play South Africa in the Guinness Autumn Series in Lansdowne Road on Saturday, 11 November at 5.00pm is as follows:
Ireland XV v South Africa:
15 Girvan Dempsey Terenure College/Leinster 66
14 Shane Horgan Lansdowne/Leinster 48
13 Brian O'Driscoll (Captain) Blackrock College/Leinster 67
12 Gordon D'Arcy Lansdowne/Leinster 23
11 Andrew Trimble Ballymena/Ulster 9
10 Ronan O'Gara Cork Constitution/Munster 63
9 Peter Stringer Shannon/Munster 69
1 Marcus Horan Shannon/Munster 40
2 Rory Best Belfast Harlequins/Ulster 4
3 John Hayes Bruff/Munster 65
4 Donncha O'Callaghan Cork Constitution/Munster 27
5 Paul O'Connell Young Munster/Munster 36
6 Neil Best Belfast Harlequins/Ulster 5
7 David Wallace Garryowen/Munster 30
8 Denis Leamy Cork Constitution/Munster 14
Replacements:
16 Frankie Sheahan, 17 Bryan Young, 18 Malcolm O'Kelly, 19 Simon Easterby, 20 Isaac Boss, 21 Paddy Wallace, 22 Geordan Murphy.
