England v Ireland
Saturday March 15 2008 - Kick off 3pm

15 Iain Balshaw (Gloucester Rugby)
14 Paul Sackey (London Wasps)
13 Jamie Noon (Newcastle Falcons)
12 Toby Flood (Newcastle Falcons)
11 Lesley Vainikolo (Gloucester Rugby)
10 Danny Cipriani (London Wasps)
9 Richard Wigglesworth (Sale Sharks)
1 Andrew Sheridan (Sale Sharks)
2 Lee Mears (Bath Rugby)
3 Phil Vickery (London Wasps, captain)
4 Simon Shaw (London Wasps)
5 Steve Borthwick (Bath Rugby)
6 Tom Croft (Leicester Tigers)
7 Michael Lipman (Bath Rugby)
8 Nick Easter (Harlequins)

Replacements
16 George Chuter (Leicester Tigers)
17 Matt Stevens (Bath Rugby)
18 Ben Kay (Leicester Tigers)
19 James Haskell (London Wasps)
20 Paul Hodgson (London Irish)
21 Jonny Wilkinson (Newcastle Falcons)
22 Mathew Tait (Newcastle Falcons)

Ireland Coach Eddie O’Sullivan has named Ronan O’Gara as captain of the Ireland team to play England in the RBS Six Nations Championship this weekend. This will be the Munster outhalf’s first time to captain the side that sees one personnel change from the team that played Wales last weekend.

Geordan Murphy returns to the fullback position, but will undergo a fitness test later this week to confirm his selection in the team. With Brian O’Driscoll unavailable due to his hamstring injury and Murphy returning to the side, there has been a reshuffle along the three quarter line.

Rob Kearney has reverted from fullback to the left wing and Tommy Bowe switches flanks to the right side. Shane Horgan moves to inside centre and Andrew Trimble moves to the No.13 jersey to form a new centre partnership.

The Ireland team to play England in the RBS 6 Nations Championship on Saturday, 15th March 2008 in Twickenham, London at 15.00hrs is as follows:

Player Club Caps

15 - Geordan Murphy* Leicester 55
14 - Tommy Bowe Belfast Harlequins/Ulster 12
13 - Andrew Trimble Ballymena/Ulster 23
12 - Shane Horgan Boyne/Leinster 60
11 - Robert Kearney UCD/Leinster 5
10 - Ronan O’Gara Captain Cork Constitution/Munster 81
9 - Eoin Reddan Wasps 9
1 - Marcus Horan Shannon/Munster 55
2 - Rory Best Belfast Harlequins/Ulster 21
3 - John Hayes Bruff/Munster 83
4 - Donncha O’Callaghan Cork Constitution/Munster 44
5 - Paul O’Connell Young Munster/Munster 50
6 - Denis Leamy Cork Constitution/Munster 30
7 - David Wallace Garryowen/Munster 44
8 - Jamie Heaslip Clontarf/Leinster 7

Replacements:
16 - Bernard Jackman Clontarf/Leinster 8
17 - Tony Buckley Shannon/Munster 6
18 - Mick O’Driscoll Cork Constitution/Munster 14
19 - Simon Easterby Llanelli 64
20 - Peter Stringer Shannon/Munster 81
21 - Paddy Wallace Ballymena/Ulster 7
22 - Luke Fitzgerald Blackrock College/Leinster 3

Not considered due to injury:
Gordon D’Arcy (Lansdowne/Leinster) {Arm}
Girvan Dempsey (Terenure College/Leinster) {Hip}
Jerry Flannery (Shannon/Munster) {Hamstring}
Brian O’Driscoll (UCD/Leinster) {Hamstring}

Hot from the pre 6 nations press conference we have the Irish Team to face Italy on Saturday:

Centre Brian O’Driscoll will win his 80th cap for Ireland this Saturday when he leads the team out to play Italy in Croke Park in the opening game of the 2008 RBS 6 Nations Championship.

Ireland Coach Eddie O’Sullivan has named Geordan Murphy on the left wing, with Ulster’s Andrew Trimble named on the right wing. At halfback, Ronan O’Gara will continue his partnership with Eoin Reddan, who was named at scrumhalf to win his 6th cap for Ireland.

In the forwards, Prop John Hayes will also be reaching the landmark of 80 caps for Ireland in a front row that sees the return of Rory Best to the starting line-up. Malcolm O’Kelly also returns to the starting fifteen to extend his Ireland caps record to 92.

The Ireland team to play Italy in the RBS 6 Nations Championship on Saturday, 2nd February 2008 in Croke Park at 14.00hrs is as follows:

Player Club Caps

15 - Girvan Dempsey Terenure College/Leinster 78

14 - Andrew Trimble Ballymena/Ulster 19

13 - Brian O’Driscoll Captain UCD/Leinster 79

12 - Gordon D’Arcy Lansdowne/Leinster 36

11 - Geordan Murphy Leicester 53

10 - Ronan O’Gara Cork Constitution/Munster 77

9 - Eoin Reddan Wasps 5

1 - Marcus Horan Shannon/Munster 51

2 - Rory Best Belfast Harlequins/Ulster 17

3 - John Hayes Bruff/Munster 79

4 - Donncha O’Callaghan Cork Constitution/Munster 40

5 - Malcolm O’Kelly St.Mary’s College/Leinster 91

6 - Simon Easterby Llanelli 62

7 - David Wallace Garryowen/Munster 41

8 - Denis Leamy Cork Constitution/Munster 27

Replacements:

16 - Bernard Jackman Clontarf/Leinster 4

17 - Tony Buckley Shannon/Munster 2

18 - Mick O’Driscoll Cork Constitution/Munster 11

19 - Jamie Heaslip Clontarf/Leinster 3

20 - Peter Stringer Shannon/Munster 79

21 - Paddy Wallace Ballymena/Ulster 6

22 - Robert Kearney UCD/Leinster 1