Rugby:Samoa have included nine European-based players in their starting line-up for Saturday's clash with Ireland. All nine compete in the English Premiership or French Top 14, forming part of an experienced side hoping to inflict a seventh straight defeat on the Irish.
London Irish number eight George Stowers is free to take part in the match at the Aviva Stadium after a disciplinary hearing dismissed a case against him earlier this week Stowers, who has handed the Samoa captaincy to Taranaki’s Mahonri Schwalger, had been cited for a dangerous tackle on Sale's David Seymour.
But the case against Stowers was dismissed by RFU disciplinary chief Judge Jeff Blackett. It was the second time this season the hard-hitting back row escaped a ban after he was sent off for a dangerous tackle against Bath in September. He escaped further punishment on that occassion with a subsequent hearing deeming the red card he received was sufficient.
Leicester winger Alesana Tuilagi is among the Samoan’s while centre Seilala Mapusua is a former English Premiership player of the year. Wasps regular David Lemi fills the right wing slot while Tasesa Lavea, Butch James’s deputy at Clermont, will direct operations at outhalf. Lavea is one of three representatives from Clermont, who Leinster face in the Heineken Cup next month, in the Samoa 22 with Tii Paulo and Gavin Williams on the bench.
Ofisa Trevarinus, a brother of Connacht’s Ray who also played for the province, will start in the back row having previously played on the wing. A second-string Samoa were beaten by Connacht on Tuesday night but there are no survivors of that side named in the starting line-up. The majority of the front-liners didn’t even travel to Galway, preferring to remain in Dublin to concentrate on Saturday’s match.
Ireland coach Declan Kidney named his side on Tuesday with just five of the players who disappointed against the Springboks retaining their place in the starting XV. The Irish management this afternoon confirmed the replacements for the match at the Aviva Stadium (kick-off 2.30pm). Kidney opted to retain Donnacha Ryan on the bench as back up to Donncha O'Callaghan and Devin Toner, meaning Mick O'Driscoll drops out of the matchday 22.
So too does scrumhalf Eoin Reddan, who sees Leinster team-mate Isaac Boss get the nod as cover for Peter Stringer.
Ireland:L Fitzgerald (Leinster); T Bowe (Ospreys), B O'Driscoll (Leinster, capt), P Wallace (Ulster), A Trimble (Ulster); R O'Gara (Munster), P Stringer (Munster); T Court (Ulster), S Cronin (Connacht), J Hayes (Munster), D O'Callaghan (Munster), D Toner (Leinster), D Leamy (Munster), S O'Brien (Leinster), J Heaslip (Leinster). Replacements:Rory Best (Ulster), Cian Healy (Leinster), Donnacha Ryan (Munster), Stephen Ferris (Ulster), Isaac Boss (Leinster), Jonathan Sexton (Leinster), Keith Earls (Munster)
Samoa:P Williams (Sale), D Lemi (Wasps), G Pisi (Taranaki), S Mapusua (London Irish), A Tuilagi (Leicester), T Lavea (Clermont) K Fotualii (Canterbury), S Taulafo (Wasps), M Schwalger (Taranaki, capt), A Perenise (Hawkes Bay), F Lavea Levi (Newcastle), K Thompsen (Southland), O Trevarinus (Malie, Samoa), M Salavea (Narbonne), G Stowers (London Irish). Replacements:T Paulo (Clermont), S Lemalu (Counties Manukau), I Tekori (Castres), A Aiono (Leulumoega, Samoa), J Poluleuligaga (Exeter), G Williams (Clermont), J Helleur (Auckland).