Ireland rings the changes
TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Ireland named a much-changed team for the Round Three Nations Cup encounter with Georgia in Dublin on Sunday.
The team features nine changes from the side which lost to England last weekend.
Ulster’s Billy Burns makes his first Test start at No.10, with Ross Byrne on the bench as cover
The side will be captained by James Ryan and he is joined in the engine room by Iain Henderson.
Finlay Bealham starts at loosehead, Rob Herring is named at hooker and Andrew Porter continues at tighthead.
Tadhg Beirne is selected on the blindside flank, Will Connors is at openside and CJ Stander is at No.8.
Conor Murray comes in at scrumhalf, alongside Burns at flyhalf.
In the centre Stuart McCloskey will partner Chris Farrell, with Jacob Stockdale at fullback and Keith Earls and Hugo Keenan on the wings.
The replacements include Dave Heffernan, Cian Healy, Finlay Bealham, Quinn Roux, Peter O’Mahony, Kieran Marmion, Ross Byrne and the uncapped Shane Daly.
Ireland: 15 Jacob Stockdale, 14 Hugo Keenan, 13 Chris Farrell, 12 Stuart McCloskey, 11 Keith Earls, 10 Billy Burns, 9 Conor Murray, 8 CJ Stander, 7 Will Connors, 6 Tadhg Beirne, 5 James Ryan (captain), 4 Iain Henderson, 3 Andrew Porter, 2 Rob Herring, 1 Finlay Bealham.
Replacements: 16 Dave Heffernan, 17 Cian Healy, 18 John Ryan, 19 Quinn Roux, 20 Peter O’Mahony, 21 Kieran Marmion, 22 Ross Byrne, 22 Shane Daly.
Date: Sunday, November 29
Venue: Aviva Stadium, Dublin
Kick-off: 14.00 (15.00 Georgia time; 14.00 GMT)
Referee: Mathieu Raynal
Assistant referees: Luke Pearce, Andrea Piardi
TMO: Marius Mitrea
