Three backline changes as Ireland team named to face Springboks

Andy Farrell has announced an Ireland team to host the Springboks this Saturday in Dublin that has three changes - all in the backline - from the XV that started the historic series-clinching win over the All Blacks last July. It was 16 weeks ago when the Irish defeated New Zealand in Wellington 32-22 in their most recent outing and the world’s current No1 ranked rugby country have now unveiled the lineup that it believes can quieten world champions South Africa at Aviva Stadium.

With the starting pack unchanged from the 2-1 Test clincher in New Zealand, Ireland have included scrum-half Conor Murray, midfielder Garry Ringrose and winger Robert Baloucoune at the expense of Jamison Gibson-Park, the suspended Bundee Aki and the injured James Lowe.

Baloucoune missed the summer tour of New Zealand through injury but recently started against both the Griquas and the Cheetahs for Emerging Ireland. He will start on the right wing, with Mack Hansen switching across to the left wing berth that Lowe had occupied four months ago.

Aside from the Murray/Gibson-Park switch, the only other change on the Ireland bench from four months ago sees Stuart McCloskey named as the 23rd man in place of Keith Earls. Meanwhile, Nathan Doak, Tom Stewart and Stewart Moore have now joined the extended Ireland squad.

Ireland (vs South Africa, Saturday)

15. Hugo Keenan (Leinster/UCD) 23 caps

14. Robert Baloucoune (Ulster/Enniskillen) 2 caps

13. Garry Ringrose (Leinster/UCD) 44 caps

12. Robbie Henshaw (Leinster/Buccaneers) 60 caps

11. Mack Hansen (Connacht) 6 caps

10. Johnny Sexton (Leinster/St Mary’s College) 108 caps CAPTAIN

9. Conor Murray (Munster/Garryowen) 99 caps

1. Andrew Porter (Leinster/UCD) 46 caps

2. Dan Sheehan (Leinster/Lansdowne) 10 caps

3. Tadhg Furlong (Leinster/Clontarf) 60 caps

4. Tadhg Beirne (Munster/Lansdowne) 33 caps

5. James Ryan (Leinster/UCD) 46 caps

6. Peter O’Mahony (Munster/Cork Constitution) 87 caps

7. Josh van der Flier (Leinster/UCD) 43 caps

8. Caelan Doris (Leinster/St Mary’s College) 20 caps

Replacements

16. Rob Herring (Ulster/Ballynahinch) 28 caps

17. Cian Healy (Leinster/Clontarf) 118 caps

18. Finlay Bealham (Connacht/Buccaneers) 25 caps

19. Kieran Treadwell (Ulster/Ballymena) 8 caps

20. Jack Conan (Leinster/Old Belvedere) 30 caps

21. Jamison Gibson Park (Leinster) 20 caps

22. Joey Carbery (Munster/Clontarf) 35 caps

23. Stuart McCloskey (Ulster/Bangor) 6 caps