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Ireland stick with traditional 5-3 bench split for Boks clash
Johnny Sexton will lead the side from flyhalf, while Bundee Aki will earn a 50th Test cap for his adopted country.
Andy Farrell, head coach of Ireland, has stuck to his guns with team selection for the match against the Boks. Picture: Warren Little/Getty Images
Ireland coach Andy Farrell has opted to not copy his Springboks counterpart Jacques Nienaber by naming a forwards-heavy replacements bench for the teams’ big Pool B World Cup clash in Paris on Sunday.
Two days after Nienaber named seven forwards and just the one backline player among his replacements, Farrell named the more traditional five forwards and three backs among his bench-sitters.
The Boks’ starting team will be backed up by bench men Ox Nche, Trevor Nyakane, Deon Fourie, Jean Kleyn, RG Snyman, Kwagga Smith and Marco van Staden — all forwards — with Cobus Reinach the only recognised backline player among them.
Three backs
Farrell, whose team are ranked number one in the world and go into the match having last lost to the Boks in 2016, has opted for a bench comprising forwards Dan Sheehan, David Kilcoyne, Finlay Bealham, Iain Henderson, Ryan Baird, and backs Conor Murray, Jack Crowley and Robbie Henshaw.
The Ireland team will be captained by Johnny Sexton at No 10, while New Zealand-born centre Bundee Aki will win his 50th Irish cap on Saturday.
In the only change from the side that beat Tonga last weekend, Jamison Gibson-Park returns at scrum-half, with Murray dropping to the bench.
The Irish are on a run of 15 successive Test victories, which includes one against the Springboks last November.
Kick-off on Saturday is 9pm.
Teams
Ireland: Hugo Keenan; Mack Hansen, Garry Ringrose, Bundee Aki, James Lowe; Johnny Sexton (capt), Jamison Gibson-Park; Caelan Doris, Josh van der Flier, Peter O’Mahony; James Ryan, Tadhg Beirne; Tadhg Furlong, Ronan Kelleher, Andrew Porter. Bench: Dan Sheehan, David Kilcoyne, Finlay Bealham, Iain Henderson, Ryan Baird, Conor Murray, Jack Crowley, Robbie Henshaw
South Africa: Damian Willemse, Kurt-Lee Arendse, Jesse Kriel, Damian de Allende, Cheslin Kolbe, Manie Libbok, Faf de Klerk, Jasper Wiese, Pieter-Steph du Toit, Siya Kolisi (c), Franco Mostert, Eben Etzebeth, Frans Malherbe, Bongi Mbonambi, Steven Kitshoff. Bench: Deon Fourie, Ox Nche, Trevor Nyakane, Jean Kleyn RG Snyman, Marco van Staden, Kwagga Smith, Cobus Reinach
