Ireland Name Team For Series Decider In Wellington
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Ireland Head Coach Andy Farrell has made one change to the team who won in Dunedin last week ahead of the Series decider against New Zealand at the Sky Stadium in Wellington (Kick-off 7.05pm NZ time/8.05am Irish time).
Bundee Aki comes in for the injured Garry Ringrose and partners Robbie Henshaw in midfield. Johnny Sexton, who celebrated his 37th birthday this week, leads the team as he wins his 108th cap, equalling Paul O’Connell’s tally for Ireland.
Keith Earls is added to the bench with Aki coming into the starting XV.
Sexton will be partnered by Jamison Gibson-Park in the half-backs with the back three of Hugo Keenan, Mack Hansen and James Lowe retained.
The pack from the first two Tests lines out again in the final game of the tour with Andrew Porter, Dan Sheehan and Tadhg Furlong in the front row and Tadhg Beirne and James Ryan at lock. Peter O’Mahony is at six, Josh van der Flier at seven and Caelan Doris is named at No.8.
The replacements include Rob Herring, Cian Healy, Finlay Bealham, Kieran Treadwell, Jack Conan, Conor Murray, Joey Carbery and Keith Earls.
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IRELAND v New Zealand
SKY Stadium, Wellington, Saturday 16th July, 2022
KO: 8.05am Irish Time
15. Hugo Keenan (Leinster/UCD) 22 caps
14. Mack Hansen (Connacht) 5 caps
13. Robbie Henshaw (Leinster/Buccaneers) 59 caps
12. Bundee Aki (Connacht/Galwegians) 39 caps
11. James Lowe (Leinster) 14 caps
10. Johnny Sexton (Leinster/St Mary’s College) 107 caps CAPTAIN
9. Jamison Gibson Park (Leinster) 19 caps
1. Andrew Porter (Leinster/UCD) 45 caps
2. Dan Sheehan (Leinster/Lansdowne) 9 caps
3. Tadhg Furlong (Leinster/Clontarf) 59 caps
4. Tadhg Beirne (Munster/Lansdowne) 32 caps
5. James Ryan (Leinster/UCD) 45 caps
6. Peter O’Mahony (Munster/Cork Constitution) 86 caps
7. Josh van der Flier (Leinster/UCD) 42 caps
8. Caelan Doris (Leinster/St Mary’s College) 19 caps
Replacements
16. Rob Herring (Ulster/Ballynahinch) 27 caps
17. Cian Healy (Leinster/Clontarf) 117 caps
18. Finlay Bealham (Connacht/Buccaneers) 24 caps
19. Kieran Treadwell (Ulster/Ballymena) 7 caps
20. Jack Conan (Leinster/Old Belvedere) 29 caps
21. Conor Murray (Munster/Garryowen) 98 caps
22. Joey Carbery (Munster/Clontarf) 34 caps
23. Keith Earls (Munster/Young Munster) 97 caps
