Preview - NZ Maori v Ireland 'A'
Gibbes returns to captain New Zealanders
The Ireland 'A' team to take on the New Zealand Maori in Saturday's Churchill Cup Pool crucial clash shows four changes to the side that beat the USA last weekend.
With team manager Joey Miles reporting an injury-free camp, the switches are a case of squad rotation.
Fullback Bryn Cunningham, centre Kieran Lewis, scrum-half Chris Keane and flank Roger Wilson – all non-starters for the 28-13 victory over the US Eagles – will get their chance to impress at the Buck Shaw Stadium in Santa Clara.
John Hearty, Andrew Maxwell, Tomas O'Leary and John Muldoon are the players to make way. Leinster's Robert Kearney, who started at full-back against the US, takes Maxwell's left wing berth with Cunningham coming in fullback.
"It has been a very good week for us," said Miles, reflecting on a week of hard training and team-bonding trips in San Jose and San Francisco.
"Last Monday we were guests of the San Francisco Giants baseball team.
"It was the Irish Heritage night in the bay area, there were about 40,000 people at the game and the team were on the national TV coverage of the game.
"Roger Wilson and Andrew Maxwell were requested to come down and join in the singing of "Take Me Out To The Ball Game" which is a great honour and tradition in baseball.
"We also went for an outing to Alcatraz prison last Sunday. We've currently no injuries in the camp. The squad watched an impressive win for the Maori against the USA on Wednesday, and are looking forward to facing them on Saturday night."
Meanwhile, the Jono Gibbes will captain a Maori side that shows nine changes to the side that thumped the US Eagles on Wednesday.
Maori coach Donny Stevenson attributed his alterations to the short turnaround between matches.
"We have three days between games so it is important that we give everyone a run and rotate players," he said.
"From what we know of Ireland, they are well organised in defence and their set pieces are good so we are expecting a good battle."
Meanwhile, Bay of Plenty's Warren Smith will replace Wellington's Ross Filipo, who injured his knee in the win against the United States on Thursday.
Smith, who was part of the winning team at the Churchill Cup in 2004, will join the team in San Francisco on Saturday.
NZ Maori: 15 Shannon Paku, 14 Anthony Tahana, 13 Richard Kahui, 12 Neil Brew, 11 Hosea Gear, 10 Callum Bruce, 9 Chris Smylie, 8 Liam Messam, 7 Tanerau Latimer, 6 Jono Gibbes (captain), 5 Paul Tito, 4 Kristian Ormsby, 3 Deacon Manu, 2 Scott Linklater, 1 Joe McDonnell.
Replacements: 16 Luke Mahoney, 17 Mike Noble, 18 Thomas Waldrom, 19 Jake Paringatai, 20 Corey Tamou, 21 Matt Berquist, 22 Cory Jane.
Ireland 'A': 15 Bryn Cunningham (Dungannon/Ulster), 14 Simon Keogh (Harlequins), 13 Kieran Lewis (St. Mary's College/Leinster, 12 David Quinlan (Northampton Saints), 11 Robert Kearney (UCD/Leinster), 10 Paddy Wallace (Ballymena/Ulster), 9 Chris Keane (Buccaneers/Connacht), 8 Jamie Heaslip (Clontarf/Leinster), 7 Shane Jennings (Leicester Tigers, captain), 6 Roger Wilson (Belfast Harlequins/Ulster), 5 Matt McCullough (Ballymena/Ulster), 4 Trevor Hogan (Shannon/Munster), 3 Tom Court (Ballymena/Ulster), 2 John Fogarty (Buccaneers/Connacht), 1 Ray Hogan (Galwegians/Connacht).
Replacements: 16 Brian Blaney (Terenure College/Leinster), 17 Declan Fitzpatrick (Belfast Harlequins/Ulster), 18 Damien Browne (Northampton Saints), 19 Neil McMillan (Ballymena/Ulster), 20 Tomas O'Leary (Dolphin/Munster), 21 Eoghan Hickey (UCD/Leinster), 22 tbc
Date: Saturday, June 10
Kick-off: 14:00 (21:00 GMT)
Venue: Santa Clara Stadium, San Francisco
Referee: Andrew Small (England)
Touch judges: Peter Allen (Scotland), Phil Smith (Canada)
