Sexton Beats O’Gara For No 10 Shirt

The Ireland team to play South Africa has been named and shows six changes to the starting fifteen from the team that played against Fiji. There are three changes in the backline with Tommy Bowe returning to the team on the right wing in place of Shane Horgan. Paddy Wallace moves from the bench to start at inside center with Gordon D’Arcy named in the replacements. Tomas O’Leary is selected at scrumhalf, his Munster team mate Peter Stringer returns to the side but has to be content with a place on the bench.

The forwards have also seen three changes with Cian Healy starting at loosehead after recovering from injury and Tony Buckley is retained in the replacements. The most surprising team pick is with the number 10 position with Jonathon Sexton beating Ronan O’Gara for the second week in a row! Donnacha O’Callaghan also returns to the side in the second row with Leo Cullen moving to the replacements. David Wallace, who was not involved in the match 22 against Fiji, is selected at openside.

15. Rob Kearney
14. Tommy Bowe
13. Brian O’ Driscoll(C)
12. Paddy Wallace
11. Keith Earls
10. Jonathan Sexton
9. Tomas O’Leary
1. Cian Healy
2. Jerry Flannery
3. John Hayes
4. Donnacha O’Callaghan
5. Paul O’Connell
6. Stephen Ferris
7. David Wallace
8. Jamie Heaslip

Bench
16. Sean Cronin
17. Tony Buckley
18. Leo Cullen
19. Denis Leamy
20. Peter Stringer
21. Ronan O’Gara
22. Gordan D’Arcy

Daniel "Pitchside" Pitcher Twitter: @DanFM104Sport About: Dan "Pitchside" Pitcher provides insight and commentary as the chief soccer and rugby correspondent for Sportspeak.