Ireland Team for game at Croke Park

The articles are all slaming Flannery's call up

Jerry Flannery has been included in Ireland's team for their first match in the autumn international series against Australia at Croke Park on Sunday. The Munster hooker has recovered from a calf injury and will line up in the front row alongside the Test debutant Cian Healy of Leinster at loosehead.

With Marcus Horan ruled out until January after undergoing a routine medical procedure to correct an irregular heartbeat, the 22-year-old Healy has been selected to fill the No1 jersey.

John Hayes resumes at tighthead despite a lack of match practice after completing a five-week suspension for stamping.

Ulster's Paddy Wallace is preferred ahead of Gordon D'Arcy at inside centre and there are two uncapped players on the bench in the Connacht hooker Sean Cronin and the Leinster outside-half Jonathan Sexton.

Wallace and Healy are the only two changes to the side that clinched the grand slam with a 17-15 victory over Wales in March.

The captain, Brian O'Driscoll, will make his 100th Test appearance on Sunday having won 93 caps for Ireland and six for the Lions and hopes to make amends for his side's recent poor record against the Wallabies, with only two wins in their past seven matches dating back to 2002.

However, he will take consolation from the fact that both victories this decade have come in Dublin, where Australia have lost twice on their past three visits.

Ireland team to play Australia at Croke Park on Sunday, 15 November:

1 Cian Healy (Leinster)
2 Jerry Flannery (Munster)
3 John Hayes (Munster)
4 Donncha O'Callaghan (Munster)
5 Paul O'Connell (Munster)
6 Stephen Ferris (Ulster)
7 David Wallace (Munster)
8 Jamie Heaslip (Leinster)

9Tomás O'Leary (Munster)
10 Ronan O'Gara (Munster)
11 Luke Fitzgerald (Leinster)
12 Paddy Wallace (Ulster)
13 Brian O'Driscoll (capt) (Leinster)
14: Tommy Bowe (Ospreys)
15: Rob Kearney (Leinster)

Replacements: Sean Cronin (Connacht), Tom Court (Ulster), Leo Cullen (Leinster), Denis Leamy (Munster), Eoin Reddan (Leinster), Jonathan Sexton (Leinster), Keith Earls (Munster).

To many Munster Men , good to see Hayes back

Fragile front row TQ1?

Lineout looks AWESOME

Not sure I care about that anymore. Without a thrower, we may as well pick 5 opensides

It's hard to explain with Hayes on the team the front row just works - well usually. Really hoping that Aussies will be exposed to the rarest of all events in Southern Hemisphere rugby a proper heaving pushover try.

Not really sure I actually care who wins - I enjoy both these teams to much - what I really am hoping for is a contest without controversy which is an entertaining exhibition of what this game is about.

Also expecting the Irish and many of the Irish players to extend a genuine welcome to Rocky - he won so many fans in Leinster.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Thequeerone

...- what I really am hoping for is a contest without controversy which is an entertaining exhibition of what this game is about.

....

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Sorry to disappoint but....


"Referee: Jonathan Kaplan (South Africa)"

The Guinness factory will be rubbing their little hands in glee at the prospect of the post match discussions - do ya think he gets sponsorship.

I miss Geogre Gregan - he knew what to do with Kaplan and Paddy.

John Hayes being not so match fit and Tom Court being a debutant will hopefully give Australia the upperhand in the scrum that it loses in the line-out.

Himself reckons that Ben Robinson being a lot smaller than Hayes will also create opportunities - apparently it is really difficult to scrum against a shorter opponent.

well, knowing ABSOLUTELY noting about the finer art. that's one of the things that the commentators have been saying about Bennnnn. Apparently he sets lower than the others and that causes them to be pushing downwards as a result, making a collapse look more like it's their fault.

I guess it'd also explain why opposition teams are now popping up like they have been recently. Benn can set normally, hit correctly and be automatically driving his opponent off the ground.........noice!

Scrum School 2015:

http://gotheforce.com/uploaded/39/1258166438.jpg

Muntser pack... good to have jim Williams looking organising the Wallabies pack here...