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Ireland look keen to avoid any hiccups as Joe Schmidt has selected his strongest possible side to face Canada at the Millenium Stadium in Cardiff on Saturday. The only forced absentee is centre Robbie Henshaw who has been ruled out with injury. British & Irish Lions cap Luke Fitzgerald will step in as a replacement, having last worn the no12 jersey at test level in 2008.
Iain Henderson has won the race to start beside captain Paul O’Connell in the second row, with Leinster loosehead Cian Healy named on the bench after recovering from a serious neck injury. Surprises on the wing see Keith Earls and Dave Kearney take the place of Simon Zebo and Tommy Bowe, with Zebo named on the bench and Bowe out altogether.
Canada have never beaten Ireland, though the two sides fought to a draw at Fletcher’s Fields in 2000. Ireland defeated the Canucks by a score of 40-14 in their last meeting during their North American tour in June of 2013, though both sides will field vastly different teams on Saturday.
IRELAND
1 Jack McGrath 2 Rory Best 3 Mike Ross 4 Iain Henderson 5 Paul O’Connell (capt.) 6 Peter O’Mahony 7 Sean O’Brien 8 Jamie Heaslip 9 Conor Murray 10 Jonathan Sexton 11 Keith Earls 12 Luke Fitzgerald 13 Jared Payne 14 Dave Kearney 15 Rob Kearney
16 Sean Cronin 17 Cian Healy 18 Nathan White 19 Donnacha Ryan 20 Chris Henry 21 Eoin Reddan 22 Ian Madigan 23 Simon Zebo
