Joe Schmidt announced his first Six Nations squad today, and the absence of Gordon D'Arcy is the big news.
After finishing the Autumn internationals with such an impressive performance, if not the result, against the All Blacks, we're sure Joe Schmidt would have liked to name as many of that November starting XV as possible.
Sadly, with Sean O'Brien injured, one change definitely had to be made and the Tullow Tank's place in the pack for the Six nations opener with Scotland on Sunday is taken by Ulster's Chris Henry.
Two more Ulster names come in too, with Luke Marshall nabbing the No 12 off Gordon D'Arcy, who Schmidt revealed had a stomach bug earlier in the week, while another Ulster man, Andrew Trimble, comes in for Tommy Bowe.
The pack, bar O'Brien, is the same as the one that began against the All Blacks.
Ireland team to play Scotland: Rob Kearney (Leinster); Andrew Trimble (Ulster), Brian O’Driscoll (Leinster), Luke Marshall (Ulster), Dave Kearney (Leinster); Johnny Sexton (Racing Metro) , Conor Murray (Munster); Cian Healy (Leinster) , Rory Best (Ulster), Mike Ross (Leinster), Devin Toner (Leinster), Paul O’Connell (Munster, capt), Peter O’Mahony (Munster), Chris Henry (Ulster), Jamie Heaslip (Leinster). Replacements: Jack McGrath, Sean Cronin, Marty Moore, Dan Tuohy, Tommy O’Donnell, Isaac Boss, Paddy Jackson, Fergus McFadden.
