Official RBS 6 Nations Rugby : Kidney names unchanged line-up against Italy

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Keith Earls will make his 2012 RBS 6 Nations bow on Saturday

Kidney names unchanged line-up against Italy

21 February 2012, 1:45 pm

By Sportsbeat

Declan Kidney has named the same team that was due to face France in Paris earlier this month for Ireland's RBS 6 Nations clash with Italy on Saturday.

It means that the sole change from Ireland’s RBS 6 Nations opening defeat Wales is Keith Earls coming in at outside centre in place of Fergus McFadden who must be content for a place on the bench.

Jonny Sexton tweaked a thigh muscle in the build-up to the postponed match against France but on Monday confirmed his fitness and so he continues at fly-half ahead of Ronan O’Gara.

Gordon D’Arcy partners Earls in midfield and will win his 65th cap for Ireland while the only uncapped member of the squad is Munster back-row Peter O’Mahony.

Earls’ return means there is no place in the match-day squad for Leinster’s David Kearney but brother Rob continues at full-back with Tommy Bowe and Andrew Trimble on the wings, with Conor Murray at scrum-half.

The pack is unchanged with Leinster props Cian Healy and Mike Ross either side of Rory Best, Donncha O’Callaghan and captain Paul O’Connell take charge of the engine room while Stephen Ferris, Sean O’Brien and Jamie Heaslip comprise the back-row.

Ireland
15. Rob Kearney (Leinster)
14. Tommy Bowe (Ospreys)
13. Keith Earls (Munster)
12. Gordon D’Arcy (Leinster)
11. Andrew Trimble (Ulster)
10. Jonathan Sexton (Leinster)
9. Conor Murray (Munster)
1. Cian Healy (Leinster)
2. Rory Best (Ulster)
3. Mike Ross (Leinster)
4. Donncha O’Callaghan (Munster)
5. Paul O’Connell (Munster)
6. Stephen Ferris (Ulster)
7. Sean O’Brien (Leinster)
8. Jamie Heaslip (Leinster)

Replacements
16. Sean Cronin (Leinster)
17. Tom Court (Ulster)
18. Donnacha Ryan (Munster)
19. Peter O’Mahony (Munster)
20. Eoin Reddan (Leinster)
21. Ronan O'Gara (Munster)
22. Fergus McFadden (Leinster)