Lucky 13 for Earls in Irish team of few surprises

Keith Earls has been handed the number 13 jersey in an Irish team named pretty much along expected lines. You hardly expected Declan Kidney to pull loads of surprises did you?

Earls has fought off competition from Leinster’s Fergus McFadden to start alongside Gordon D’Arcy in midfield. The debate about who deserves to fill the number ten jersey is bound to rumble on for some time yet, but for now, Jonathan Sexton has been given the nod and will be partnered by Munster’s Conor Murray at half back.

Elsewhere, there will be few eyebrows raised about the personnel picked to start against Wales at the Aviva Stadium on Sunday. Andrew Trimble has been rewarded for his tremendous Ulster form with a place on the wing, although Donncha O’Callaghan can consider him fortunate to win a place in the second row considering that Donnacha Ryan has been keeping him out of the Munster side for most of the season.

Ryan starts on the bench, where uncapped dynamo Peter O’Mahony has also been named, while Fergus McFadden has inherited the number 22 jersey that belonged – some would say mystifyingly – to Paddy Wallace in recent seasons.

Ireland take on Wales in their Six Nations opener at the Aviva Stadium on Sunday at 3pm.

Ireland: Rob Kearney;  Tommy Bowe, Keith Earls, Gordon D’Arcy, Andrew Trimble; Jonathan Sexton, Conor Murray; Cian Healy, Rory Best, Mike Ross; Donncha O’Callaghan, Paul O’Connell; Stephen Ferris, Sean O’Brien, Jamie Heaslip.

Replacements: Sean Cronin, Tom Court, Donnacha Ryan, Peter O’Mahony, Eoin Reddan, Ronan O’Gara, Fergus McFadden.