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Ireland confirm a dozen changes to their team to play Samoa

By Liam Heagney
(Photo by Charles McQuillan/Getty Images)

Ireland boss Andy Farrell has confirmed an XV for Saturday’s Summer Nations Series clash with Samoa in Bayonne that has 12 changes from last weekend. Only right wing Mack Hansen, lock Tadhg Beirne and openside Josh van der Flier have been retained in a team that will be skippered by the recalled Iain Henderson.  

James Ryan, Peter O'Mahony, Ross Byrne and Garry Ringrose – four other starters from the 29-10 win over England in Dublin on August 19 – are named on the bench.  

With Hansen the only retained starting back, Ireland’s pre-Rugby World Cup trip to France will provide run-on appearances for Jimmy O’Brien at full-back, new centurion Keith Earls on the left wing, and midfielders Robbie Henshaw and Stuart McCloskey behind a half-back partnership of Jack Crowley and Conor Murray.   

The revamped front row consists of Cian Healy, Tom Stewart and Finlay Bealham. Match day skipper Henderson joins Beirne at lock, with this weekend’s back row made up of Baird and Doris with repeat pick van der Flier.  

The selection of rookie hooker Stewart is fascinating, as he only made a Test debut off the bench on August 5 versus Italy.

Ireland are now burdened by injury concerns in that position with first-choice pick Dan Sheehan potentially faced with missing all of his team’s pool matches at the World Cup due to injury while Ronan Kelleher has yet to show he is nearing full speed following his own injury layoff.  

Ireland (vs Samoa, Saturday – 8:45pm French time)

15. Jimmy O'Brien (Leinster/Naas)(6)

14. Mack Hansen (Connacht/Corinthians)(15)

13. Robbie Henshaw (Leinster/Buccaneers)(64)

12. Stuart McCloskey (Ulster/Bangor)(13)

11. Keith Earls (Munster/Young Munster)(100)

10. Jack Crowley (Munster/Cork Constitution)(5)

9. Conor Murray (Munster/Garryowen)(106)

1. Cian Healy (Leinster/Clontarf)(124)

2. Tom Stewart (Ulster/Ballynahinch)(1)

3. Finlay Bealham (Connacht/Buccaneers)(31)

4. Iain Henderson (Ulster/Academy)(captain)(73)

5. Tadhg Beirne (Munster/Lansdowne)(40)

6. Ryan Baird (Leinster/Dublin University)(12)

7. Josh van der Flier (Leinster/UCD)(51)

8. Caelan Doris (Leinster/St Mary’s College)(30)

Replacements:

16. Rob Herring (Ulster/Ballynahinch)(36)

17. Jeremy Loughman (Munster/Garryowen)(2)

18. Tom O'Toole (Ulster/Ballynahinch)(10)

19. James Ryan (Leinster/UCD)(54)

20. Peter O'Mahony (Munster/Cork Constitution)(95)

21. Craig Casey (Munster/Shannon)(11)

22. Ross Byrne (Leinster/UCD)(20)

23. Garry Ringrose (Leinster/UCD)(51).