Dempsey to start for Ireland
Tuesday, 30 January 2007 20:23Watch all of this year's RBS 6 Nations matches live on RTÉ Two and RTÉ.ie. Listen to all of Ireland's matches live on RTÉ Radio 1 FM, MW and LW 252.
Leinster's Girvan Dempsey has edged out Geordan Murphy for the Ireland full-back jersey and will win his 70th Test cap in Sunday's RBS 6 Nations opener against Wales.
Ireland head coach Eddie O'Sullivan has made five changes from the first-string team that beat Australia so impressively last November.
With Shane Horgan out injured, Ulster's Andrew Trimble was preferred to Tommy Bowe on the right wing with Denis Hickie continuing in the number 11 jersey.
Peter Stringer returns to the side at scrum-half with Isaac Boss on the bench while Simon Easterby won a tight selection call to start ahead of Neil Best at blind-side flanker.
Marcus Horan will pack down at loose-head prop and Rory Best continues at hooker with Jerry Flannery, who missed the autumn internationals with a shoulder injury, named on the bench.
Malcolm O'Kelly was not considered because of a knee injury, allowing Munster lock Mick O'Driscoll to earn a spot among the replacements.
Ireland team to play Wales in the RBS 6 Nations at the Millennium Stadium on Sunday, February 4:
G Dempsey (Leinster); A Trimble (Ulster), B O'Driscoll (Leinster, capt), G D'Arcy (Leinster), D Hickie (Leinster); R O'Gara (Munster), P Stringer (Munster); M Horan (Munster), R Best (Ulster), J Hayes (Munster), D O'Callaghan (Munster), P O'Connell (Munster), S Easterby (Llanelli Scarlets), D Wallace (Munster), D Leamy (Munster).
Replacements: J Flannery (Munster), S Best (Ulster), N Best (Ulster), M O'Driscoll (Munster), I Boss (Ulster), P Wallace (Ulster), G Murphy (Leicester).
