Familiar Irish faces seek World Cup redemption

31/01/2008 20:04

By Padraic Halpin

DUBLIN (Reuters) - Ireland coach Eddie O’Sullivan will put his faith in a side who tamely left the World Cup pool stages when they host Italy in Saturday’s Six Nations opener (2:00 p.m.).

With a team boasting an average of slightly over 50 caps per man, Ireland return to Croke Park with experience but also predictable familiarity.

The four changes from September’s 30-15 defeat to Argentina see the return of Girvan Dempsey and Andrew Trimble in the backs and Rory Best and Malcolm O’Kelly in the pack. All four played a part in France.

"I’ve said we draw a line under the sand and get onto the Six Nations," O’Sullivan told reporters as he prepared his men for Saturday’s game. "We’ve got to stop looking backwards and start looking forwards."

In terms of selection, he has surprisingly left form hooker Bernard Jackman on the bench and omitted the season’s outstanding wing -- Ulster’s Tommy Bowe -- from the 22.

Italy flanker Mauro Bergamasco has warned Ireland they will have a battle on their hands in a game between two sides who failed to reach the quarter-finals in France.

"Like us, they will want to make up for their bad experience at the World Cup," the Stade Francais player told reporters.

"They know we have caused .....continued below

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them problems in recent years and that they have something to worry about. They won’t have it easy. To beat Italy, they’ll have to be at 100 percent."

Italy, under new coach Nick Mallett, will look to build on last year’s record two-win tournament showing with a new captain in number 8 Sergio Parisse and a new out-half, the relocated Andrea Masi.

The Azzurri have never beaten Ireland in the Six Nations and were crushed 51-24 in Rome last season.

But they pushed them hard in Dublin two years ago and were close to beating them in a World Cup warm-up in Belfast in August, losing 23-20 to a controversial stoppage-time try by Ronan O’Gara.

Mallett said his decision to risk an untested halfback pairing in his debut as Italy coach - pairing two-cap scrum-half Pietro Travagli with Masi -- is an investment for the future.

"If I can develop a good halfback pairing it will stand Italy in good stead for the next four years," he told reporters.

"You won’t see more kicking...I want to give the team variety. If it is pouring with rain and there’s lots of wind, you’ll see lots of kicking. If it is dry and we can pass, we’ll pass the ball."

Teams

Ireland - 15-Girvan Dempsey, 14-Andrew Trimble, 13-Brian O’Driscoll (captain), 12-Gordon D’Arcy, 11-Geordon Murphy, 10-Ronan O’Gara, 9-Eoin Reddan, 8-Denis Leamy, 7-David Wallace, 6-Simon Easterby, 5-Malcolm O’Kelly, 4-Donnacha O’Callaghan, 3-John Hayes, 2-Rory Best, 1-Marcus Horan.

Replacements: 16-Bernard Jackman, 17-Tony Buckley, 18-MickO’Driscoll, 19-Jamie Heaslip, 20-Peter Stringer, 21-PaddyWallace, 22-Rob Kearney.

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