Ireland’s expected team to face England contains two new faces

New direction

Patrick McCarry

Ireland’s expected team to face England contains two new faces

So here we are again – waiting on good news or bad about Jared Payne.

Joe Schmidt goes to bed tonight not knowing his starting XV to face England on Saturday.

He knows 13 of the players that he will be starting – Mike Ross is nailed on to return at tighthead – but his midfield is, as yet, undecided.

At present, and given the information we have, Jared Payne is going to miss out on selection. His place in the team rests on the 10:30am training run tomorrow morning. Ireland claim he is 85% fit but they said Sean O’Brien was 100% for France and he only lasted 18 minutes.

Luke Marshall and Keith Earls were both mentioned by assistant boss Simon Easterby, on Tuesday, as candidates to replace Payne but Stuart McCloskey should benefit. He ran at 12 in the open training session at Mullingar and did likewise in further sessions early this week.

Keith Earls is set to come back in on the left wing. Tommy O’Donnell was favourite to start at openside, although Josh van der Flier has reportedly been given several more reps in training this week. The 21-year-old Leinster flanker has been a revelation this season.

If Schmidt goes for van der Flier, he may fill his bench with two back rows – Ruddock, who can cover at lock, and O’Donnell. This may delay Ultan Dillane’s Ireland debut.

On the bench, Cian Healy and Nathan White will be prop back-up while there is a sense that Paddy Jackson may have leapfrogged Ian Madigan and Simon Zebo will cover for the backline.

SPORTSJOE’S PREDICTED XV

15. Rob Kearney
14. Andrew Trimble
13. Robbie Henshaw
12. Stuart McCloskey
11. Keith Earls
10. Johnny Sexton
9. Conor Murray

1. Jack McGrath
2. Rory Best
3. Mike Ross
4. Donnacha Ryan
5. Devin Toner
6. CJ Stander
7. Josh van der Flier
8. Jamie Heaslip

Replacements: R Strauss, C Healy, White, Dillane/Ruddock, O’Donnell, Reddan, Jackson, Zebo.