Ireland have made nine changes to their side to meet Fiji at Lansdowne Road on Sunday afternoon. Predictably, many of the players who took part in last weeks heroic defeat of Australia, are rested by coach Eddie O'Sullivan.
Geordan Murphy gets the call at full-back in place of Girvan Dempsey, while Justin Bishop take the place of the injured Denis Hickie on the wing. David Humphreys and Guy Easterby form a new partnership at half-back, while Marcus Horan, Frankie Sheahan, Leo Cullen, Alan Quinlan and Kieran Dawson are all included in the forwards. Once again Brian O'Driscoll is named as captain for the second time.
The full team is as follows:
15 – Geordan Murphy (Leicester);14 – Shane Horgan (Leinster/Lansdowne), 13 – Brian O’Driscoll (Leinster/Blackrock College) Captain, 12 – Kevin Maggs (Bath), 11 – Justin Bishop (London Irish);10 – David Humphreys (Ulster/Dungannon) 9 – Guy Easterby (Llanelli);1 – Marcus Horan (Munster/Shannon), 2 – Frank Sheahan (Munster/Cork Constitution), 3 – John Hayes (Munster/Shannon); 4 – Leo Cullen (Leinster/Blackrock College), 5 – Malcolm O’Kelly (Leinster/St. Mary’s College); 6 – Alan Quinlan (Munster/Shannon), 7 – Kieron Dawson (London Irish), 8 – Anthony Foley (Munster/Shannon).
Filed by Ciaran Cronin
