Head Coach Andy Farrell has named his Ireland Match Day Squad for Saturday’s Men’s Rugby World Cup quarter-final against New Zealand at Stade de France.
Having a settled side makes it easier but the idea of naming a team a good 80 hours before game time is something that is alien now in much of team sport, something that others might learn from in terms of building excitement and anticipation.
After progressing through to the last eight as Pool B winners, Ireland go head-to-head with the All Blacks in Paris, with Farrell naming an unchanged starting team from last weekend’s victory over Scotland.
Hugo Keenan, Mack Hansen and James Lowe continue in the back three, the latter two having overcome injury concerns, with Garry Ringrose and Bundee Aki retained in midfield. Captain Johnny Sexton and Jamison Gibson-Park once again form the half-back pairing.
In the pack, Andrew Porter, Dan Sheehan and Tadhg Furlong are in the front row, as Tadhg Beirne partners Iain Henderson in the engine room. Peter O’Mahony, Josh van der Flier and Caelan Doris complete the Ireland starting team.
On the bench, Ronan Kelleher, Dave Kilcoyne, Finlay Bealham, Joe McCarthy and Jack Conan provide the reinforcements in the pack, with Conor Murray, Jack Crowley and Jimmy O’Brien – in line for his Rugby World Cup debut – completing the match day 23.
Saturday’s match is live on Virgin Media One in the Republic of Ireland and ITV1 in Northern Ireland.
Live coverage of Wales v Argentina and Ireland v New Zealand will get underway from 3:30pm Saturday on Virgin Media One. Joe Molloy will be joined in studio by Rob Kearney, Matt Williams and Shane Horgan.
Ryle Nugent and Ian Madigan will be on commentary for the first quarter-final as Wales and Argentina face off in Marseille.
Dave McIntyre and Alan Quinlan will then call the action from Paris, with Tommy Martin also reporting from Stade de France.
