Ireland (v Japan):
15. Jamie Osborne (Naas/Leinster)(16)
14. Jimmy O’Brien (Naas/Leinster)(12)
13. Robbie Henshaw (Buccaneers/Leinster)(84)
12. Stuart McCloskey (Bangor/Ulster)(29)
11. Jacob Stockdale (Lurgan/Ulster)(42)
10. Ciaran Frawley (UCD/Leinster)(13)
9. Craig Casey (Shannon/Munster)(28)
1. Tom O’Toole (Ballynahinch/Ulster)(22)
2. Rónan Kelleher (Lansdowne/Leinster)(49)
3. Thomas Clarkson (Blackrock College/Leinster)(14)
4. Tadhg Beirne (Lansdowne/Munster)(71)(captain)
5. James Ryan (UCD/Leinster)(81)
6. Jack Conan (Old Belvedere/Leinster)(60)
7. Nick Timoney (Queen’s University/Ulster)(12)
8. Sean Jansen (Connacht)*
Replacements:
16. Tom Stewart (Ballynahinch/Ulster)(5)
17. Billy Bohan (Corinthians/Connacht)*
18. Sam Illo (Buccaneers/Connacht)*
19. Cormac Izuchukwu (Ballynahinch/Ulster)(4)
20. Bryn Ward (Ballynahinch/Ulster)*
21. Nathan Doak (Banbridge/Ulster)(1)
22. Harry Byrne (Lansdowne/Leinster)(4)
23. Bundee Aki (Galwegians/Connacht)(70)
Eight Ulster players! Hopefully the ones on the bench get a decent slice of game time. Fantastic to see Bryn Ward here particularly on his first cap.
I hope Doak gets more that just a cameo appearance. Same for Bryn. No room for Zac, I guess the plan is if there is a backline injury Frawley moves to there and Harry comes on at 10?
Timoney was great last week, well deserved start. I think Jacob needs to do something special to force his way back into the first team squad.
I’m a bit surprised with all the changes, thought he would want to keep momentum for the all blacks, but then not many games left to the world cup, need to more depth… but then Bundee is 36 and while you can’t say its not up to this level right now, might be a different story next summer and then we are one McCloskey injury away from crisis
Worrying about Baloucoune out again, hopfully they are being cautious for the all blacks