Ireland A team v Saxons

[colinh]

There are seven changes to the Ireland A team that will play England Saxons this Sunday in the final of the Churchill Cup (K.O. 9.30pm Irish time) from the side that won last time out in the tournament against Georgia.

Declan Kidney and his Ireland coaching staff have continued to rotate the squad during the tournament to give vital experience to the players and to allow them to look at the players up against international opposition. With some players having already featured during the senior tour, the Ireland coaching staff has again opted to vary the selections and this is the third different team that has taken the field in Denver, with four of those changes for this Sunday in the backline.

Felix Jones retains his place at full back and is joined in the back three by Denis Hurley who starts on the right wing instead of Simon Keogh who will now act as scrumhalf cover in the replacements. Johne Murphy is selected on the left wing for the third consecutive game and Keith Matthews returns to the starting team at centre in place of James Downey. Isaac Boss returns to scrumhalf and partners Jonathan Sexton, who after coming on in both games against Canada and Georgia, starts at out half.

Chris Henry comes into the team at no.8 in place of John Muldoon, who moves to the replacements, with blindside Neil Best being named as captain of an Ireland side for the first time. Devon Toner, man of the match in the opening game against Canada, returns to the second row in place of Trevor Hogan. The final change in the team is at hooker, where Sean Cronin swaps places with Dennis Fogarty to start the game, with Fogarty among the replacements.

Ireland Coach Declan Kidney said, "Sunday is a massive challenge for the team to play the defending Churchill Cup champions, but one they are all looking forward to. England has huge strength in depth and could easily put out another two or three sides of similar strength, so it will require a really good performance from us. England has been impressive in their first two games and I am sure they will want to retain their title which will give them a three -in-a row".

"The games in the Churchill Cup and the senior tour were all about exposing the players to international level rugby and also allowing the coaches to work with the players more closely. The pervious two games allowed us to do that and it has been a good experience for all of us".

Captain Neil Best said, "It's a great honour for me to captain the team and I was delighted when Declan asked me to do the job. It's been a great tournament for us so far and we are looking forward to Sunday. Playing in England, I obviously now quite a lot of the Saxons team and they are an excellent side, so we really need to bring our best performance out for the last game."

Ireland A v England Saxons (Dicks Sporting Goods Park, Denver, Colorado Sunday, 21st June 2009)
15-Felix Jones (Old Belvedere/Leinster)
14-Denis Hurley (Cork Constitution/Munster)
13-Fergus McFadden (UCD/Leinster)
12-Keith Matthews (Buccaneers/Connacht)
11-Johne Murphy (Leicester)
10-Jonathan Sexton (St.Mary's College/Leinster)
9-Isaac Boss (Ballymena/Ulster)
1-Cian Healy (Clontarf/Leinster)
2-Sean Cronin (Buccaneers/Connacht)
3-Tony Buckley (Shannon/Munster)
4-Donnacha Ryan (Shannon/Munster)
5-Devon Toner (Lansdowne/Leinster)
6-Neil Best (Northampton Saints) Captain
7-Niall Ronan (Shannon/Munster)
8-Chris Henry (Ballymena/Ulster)

Replacements:
16-Dennis Fogarty (Cork Constitution/Munster)
17-Bryan Young (Ballymena/Ulster)
18-Trevor Hogan (Blackrock College/Leinster)
19-John Muldoon (Galwegians/Connacht)
20-Simon Keogh (Old Belvedere/Leinster)
21-Niall O'Connor (Belfast Harlequins/Ulster)
22-James Downey (Northampton Saints)

[Article]

Neil Best as captain...good for him. Nice test for this A team should be a good game.

[browner]

Neil Best as captain...good for him. Nice test for this A team should be a good game.

Indeed..............and also a big vote of confidence for Chris Henry.

[cables]

a big vote of confidence for Chris Henry

I agree Browner. The chance to see players just outside the extended squad / fringe has taken place already in earlier games. This selection is to try to win the game with the best of the crop of players on this tour. It shows Chris Henry must be in DK's future thoughts.

[browner]

It shows Chris Henry must be in DK's future thoughts.

I would be loathe to look too far ahead, but his cameo against Georgia in a retreating pack will i'm sure have impressed Kidney.

[bogboy]

I think DK is expecting a retreating pack again

The Saxons pack is normally big and physical

Sexton kicking the corners in the hope that the lineout with Toner can steal a few of the English throws or force them to throw off line I always expected Sexton to start this game with Boss acting as a 4th backrowon their maul

[Lanzaman]

Can't get to see it on TV down the pub this evening - anyone know where it is being streamed online?

Cheers

[fuzzylogic]

Im sure it will be on justin.tv or myp2p Lanza!

[Lanzaman]

cheers fuzzy.



... its fleece was white as snow ....

[Shan]

Sportstime is streaming it this evening.

http://www.justin.tv/sportstime

[Shan]

Mark Robson is a Class A tool.

[Shan]

Good try for Toner.Ireland scrum did well there.

[Rob6]

TRY for Boss!!!!!!

"Snap, Crackle and pop from the Irish Number 9" Mark Robson

[Shan]

Superb play from Ireland and a very good try for Isaac Boss.McFadden excellent in the build up and what a pass from Buckley.

[AintNothinButa]

Don't want to speak to soon but boss is playing quite well!