Six Nations: Sean O'Brien and Ian Keatley start for Ireland against Italy
Thursday 5 February 2015 21:25, UK
Sean O'Brien has been named in the team for Ireland's Six Nations opener against Italy on Saturday.
The flanker returned from a five-month injury absence just five days ago when he played in the Irish Wolfhounds' defeat to England Saxons in Cork.
But with Jamie Heaslip missing Joe Schmidt has thrown O'Brien straight into the pack for a first Test appearance since November 2013.
Vice-captain Heaslip has been struggling with a shoulder problem, and his place at No 8 goes to tournament debutant Jordi Murphy, while Schmidt favourite Mike Ross is preferred in the front row to Leinster team-mate Marty Moore.
Schmidt said: "Jamie trained fully today (Thursday), if that had been the case on Tuesday the decision might have been different. He's 100 per cent fit now, he will train fully next week and that will allow him to focus on the France game.
"His powers of recuperation are second to none, but we just decided to be conservative with it. What we're missing is a lot of experience, but Peter O'Mahony has that, he's a leader of his provincial team and of our group.
"We certainly didn't necessarily see Sean starting this week but we felt he did well in the Wolfhounds game. There's always a degree of risk with players coming off the bench after returning from injury.
"If Sean can give us a great 50 to 60 minutes I think that will help put us into the game hopefully."
Ian Keatley will make his first Six Nations appearance at fly-half after beating Ian Madigan to the spot, while Jared Payne and Robbie Henshaw are confirmed as Schmidt's new first-choice midfield pairing following Brian O'Driscoll's retirement.
Gordon D'Arcy, who was injured for the autumn internationals, does not make the matchday squad.
Ireland: 15 Rob Kearney; 14 Tommy Bowe, 13 Jared Payne, 12 Robbie Henshaw, 11 Simon Zebo; 10 Ian Keatley, 9 Conor Murray; 8 Jordi Murphy, 7 Sean O'Brien, 6 Peter O'Mahony, 5 Paul O'Connell (c), 4 Devin Toner, 3 Mike Ross, 2 Rory Best, 1 Jack McGrath.
Replacements: 16 Sean Cronin, 17 James Cronin, 18 Martin Moore, 19 Iain Henderson, 20 Tommy O'Donnell, 21 Isaac Boss, 22 Ian Madigan, 23 Felix Jones.
