Joe Schmidt has hinted that changes will be made to the Ireland team to face Romania on Sunday, but scrum-half Conor Murray is adamant that they won’t weaken the side.
Ireland face the Oaks on Sunday in Wembley (4.45pm, live on RTÉ Radio 1) and coach Schmidt said after the win over Canada that he is looking to freshen up the side, with crucial games against Italy and France to come.
A likely quarter-final against New Zealand or Argentina would be on the cards if they qualify from Pool D.
The side will be named tomorrow at lunchtime and Murray, 26, is confident that whoever gets picked knows exactly what is expected.
“There’s always going to be changes in the team and I think as a squad we’re quite used to that,” Murray told RTÉ Sport.
“Fellows who come in are ready to come in and step up, [they] know their role inside out and they don’t take away from the team in any way.
“They slot in seamlessly and they bring their own individual game to it so that could be the case this week and training has gone well so far.
“I don’t think that there are many players that are guaranteed their place, which is a good thing to have. It drives the standard of training on and then that helps for the performance at the weekend.”
The 40-times capped Munster man, who alongside Eoin Reddan is one of just two number nines in the squad, added that he would love to start at the home of English football.
“The chance to run out at such a famous football stadium, it’s such an iconic stadium with a packed house, with a good few Irish there, would be something very special,” he said.
