Eight uncapped men. Peter O’Mahony regaining the captaincy. Joe Schmidt’s Ireland continues to dig deep into the provincial squads as Canada come to Dublin this Saturday night.
Three, potentially eight, newcomers will feature against former Ulster coach Mark Anscombe’s tourists.
Cork lock Billy Holland, at the ripe old age of 31, makes his debut alongside 21 year old centre Garry Ringrose and 22 year old number eight Jack O’Donoghue.
“Jack has been in and out with us for the best part of a year,” said Schmidt. “I've seen Jack since he captained the Ireland under-20s in the Junior World Cup in Auckland and was impressed with him as a player and a potential leader.
“He is versatile across the backrow but giving him an opportunity at eight is a good place to be.
“Billy Holland: a lot of what he has delivered is quality work rate.”
That’s the only work rate Schmidt will entertain.
The coach stated that Iain Henderson “trained well this week” and would come into consideration for the All Blacks on November 19th.
Henderson recently sustained shoulder damage playing for Ulster.
“Iain is very close but we felt it would be a little bit of a risk, if he got a knock, that he could be out for two or three weeks as a result. This way he will definitely be fit to train fully for a whole week and do everything that is required ahead of next week’s match.”
Ringrose forms an interesting midfield with Luke Marshall and Paddy Jackson, who returns at outhalf following off-field issues that were made public before Ireland departed for Chicago and the historic 40-29 victory over New Zealand.
Joey Carbery retains the number 22 jersey.
Otherwise it is all change.
“Garry was really close to playing last week,” Schmidt continued. “He has given us confidence that he is ready. He is confident and wants to get started.
“Garry is a natural player – he sees things. He is ahead of the game because he reads the game early. While being lean he’s strong so it allows him avoid those full contacts, just slip past players, half through a tackle and over the gainline.
“Defensively, being so astute as he is, we hope that allows them control what they are trying to do to us.”
The uncapped replacements are James Tracy, John Ryan, Luke McGrath, Niyi Adeolukun and Dan Leavy.
The 22-year-old Leavy has made a great leap into the Ireland squad after some smashing performances for Leinster this season. A sensational schoolboy, playing flanker for St Michael’s College in the Leinster schools final defeat to Clongowes Wood as a 15-year-old before captaining Ireland at under-20s. A succession of injuries, growing pains, slowed his rise to this moment.
But he’s here now, behind a hardly insignificant queue of flankers.
This match provides a crucial subplot as Sean O’Brien and Peter O’Mahony return to the Ireland backrow, both with the intent of proving form and fitness ahead of New Zealand’s rematch on Saturday week.
O’Brien last featured for Ireland against France last February, O’Mahony against the same opposition at the 2015 World Cup.
The Munster captain leads Ireland out for the third time, having taken control through the North America tour in 2013 (the dawn of the Schmidt era).
The All Blacks have made 12 changes for Conor O’Shea’s first test in charge of Italy.
IRELAND: Tiernan O'Halloran; Craig Gilroy, Garry Ringrose, Luke Marshall, Keith Earls; Paddy Jackson, Kieran Marmion; Cian Healy, Seán Cronin, Finlay Bealham; Ultan Dillane, Billy Holland; Peter O'Mahony, Seán O'Brien, Jack O'Donoghue.
Replacements: James Tracy, Dave Kilcoyne, John Ryan, Donnacha Ryan, Dan Leavy, Luke McGrath, Joey Carbery, Niyi Adeolukun.
