Billy Burns earns first start for Ireland

Adam Kyriacou
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Ireland have named a much-changed starting team for their third round Autumn Nations Cup clash with Georgia at the Aviva Stadium on Sunday.

The uncapped Shane Daly is included in a matchday 23 that will again be captained by James Ryan.

Ryan is joined in the second-row by Iain Henderson and they will pack down behind a front-row of Finlay Bealham at loosehead, hooker Rob Herring and tighthead Andrew Porter.

Tadhg Beirne is selected on the blindside flank, Will Connors is at openside and CJ Stander reverts to number eight.

First start

Billy Burns, whose deft chip put Jacob Stockdale in for a try against England, starts for the first time having won two caps off the bench. He is joined by the vastly experienced Conor Murray who wins his 86th cap.

In the centre Stuart McCloskey will win his fourth cap when he starts alongside Chris Farrell while Jacob Stockdale is at full-back with Hugo Keenan and Keith Earls on the wings.

Daly, who won the Energia All-Ireland League with Cork Constitution in 2019, will be aiming to make his international debut off the bench. He’s named with Kieran Marmion and Ross Byrne as backline cover.

Dave Heffernan, Cian Healy, John Ryan, Quinn Roux and Peter O’Mahony are the forward replacements.

Ireland: 15 Jacob Stockdale, 14 Hugo Keenan, 13 Chris Farrell, 12 Stuart McCloskey, 11 Keith Earls, 10 Billy Burns, 9 Conor Murray, 8 CJ Stander, 7 Will Connors, 6 Tadhg Beirne, 5 James Ryan (c), 4 Iain Henderson, 3 Andrew Porter, 2 Rob Herring, 1 Finlay Bealham
Replacements: 16 Dave Heffernan, 17 Cian Healy, 18 John Ryan, 19 Quinn Roux, 20 Peter O’Mahony, 21 Kieran Marmion, 22 Ross Byrne, 23 Shane Daly

Date: Sunday, November 29
Venue: Aviva Stadium
Kick-off: 14:00 GMT
Referee: Mathieu Raynal
Assistant referees: Luke Pearce, Andrea Piardi
Television match official: Marius Mitrea

 

Internationals