The form of Ulster players in their unbeaten run through the pool stages of the Heineken Cup is reflected in Ireland coach Joe Schmidt’s selection for the opening Six Nations Championship match against Scotland at the Aviva stadium on Sunday.
Brian O’Driscoll will become the most capped Ireland player of all time as he runs out for the 129th time in the green jersey while fullback Rob Kearney will win his 50th cap.
Leinster's Gordon D'Arcy had an outstanding game against New Zealand in the last match of the autumn but he loses out to the young pretender Ulster's Luke Marshall in partnering Brian O'Driscoll in the centre. D'Arcy was suffering from a stomach bug earlier in the week.
Marshall played against Australia and was replaced by D’Arcy for the following week’s game against the All Blacks last November. Given the six day turnaround to Ireland’s second game against Wales, it’s reasonable to assume that Schmidt might look at rotating personnel based on the timeframe.
Luke Fitzgerald’s abdominal rules him out of what one presumes would have been a starting berth on the left wing, which instead goes to Ulster’s Andrew Trimble. He holds off the challenge of Fergus McFadden, who starts on the bench.
Dave Kearney is named on the right wing making his debut in the Six Nations with brother, Rob, at fullback. Jonathan Sexton, fresh from a brilliant performance for Racing Metro 92 against Toulouse last weekend, partners Conor Murray at halfback.
Mike Ross joins Cian Healy and Rory Best in the front row while Leinster's Devin Toner will pack down beside captain, Paul O'Connell in the secondrow. Ulster's Chris Henry replaces the injured Sean O'Brien in the backrow.
Dan Tuohy edges out Ulster team-mate Iain Henderson to provide cover for the secondrow on the bench while Leinster's tighthead Martin Moore is set to win a first cap if he is introduced.
Munster's openside flanker Tommy O'Donnell is also poised for a first Six Nations start, albeit from the bench to augment the caps he won on the summer tour. Paddy Jackson acts as back-up to Sexton, preferred to Ian Madigan, while McFadden's versatility sees him cover the three quarter line.
Ireland: R Kearney (Leinster); D Kearney (Leinster), B O'Driscoll (Leinster), L Marshall (Ulster), A Trimble (Ulster); J Sexton (Racing Metro 92), C Murray (Munster); C Healy (Leinster), R Best (Ulster), M Ross (Leinster); P O'Connell (Munster, capt), D Toner (Leinster); P O'Mahony (Munster), C Henry (Ulster), J Heaslip (Leinster). Replacements: S Cronin (Leinster), J McGrath (Leinster), M Moore (Leinster), D Tuohy (Ulster), T O'Donnell (Munster), I Boss (Leinster), P Jackson (Ulster), F McFadden (Leinster)
