Kidney says yes as Ulster form backbone of team to face Fiji

Declan Kidney has as expected made wholesale changes for Saturday’s non-cap international against Fiji with a strong Ulster flavour to the team.

By Declan Whooley

Kidney has always stated he would use the game as an opportunity to develop the squad and he has stuck to his word.

Ulster will have six players in the starting line-up for the first time since defeating Romania in 2005 with Darren Cave forming a provincial partnership with Luke Marshall in midfield. Paddy Jackson starts at out-half, Craig Gilroy takes the number 11 jersey while Dan Tuohy and Iain Henderson, who came off the bench against the Springboks, come into the pack.

Denis Hurley pulls on the green jersey for the first time in three years while John Muldoon is the sole Connacht representative at openside flanker.

Jamie Heaslip completes the back-row and will continue to wear the captain’s armband as Ireland look to halt a disappointing losing sequence ahead of next weekend’s match with Argentina.

Ireland XV v Fiji – Hurley; McFadden, Cave, L Marshall, Gilroy; Jackson, Murray; Kilcoyne, Cronin, Ross; O'Callaghan, Tuohy; Henderson, Muldoon, Heaslip (c).