Murray misses out as Schmidt wields the axe for the Wallabies

Joe Schmidt has come up with a few surprises with the Ireland team he has named to face Australia this weekend, with Conor Murray the most notable omission from the starting XV.

The Munster scrum-half has been dropped to the bench as Schmidt has opted for Eoin Reddan alongside the returning Jonathan Sexton in a half-back partnership that played together with Leinster many times in the past. While Sexton returns to the starting XV, the previous incumbent of the number ten jersey, Paddy Jackson, has been left out of the squad entirely with Schmidt opting for Ian Madigan ahead of the Ulsterman on the bench. Elsewhere, Mike McCarthy has made way for captain Paul O’Connell in the second row, Sean O’Brien and Cian Healy return to the pack and Luke Marshall comes in alongside Brian O’Driscoll in the centre at the expense of Gordon D’Arcy, who, like Jackson, drops out of the 23 completely. Ireland team to play Australia: R Kearney; Bowe, O’Driscoll, Marshall, McFadden; Sexton, Reddan; Healy, Best, Ross; O’Connell (Captain), Toner; O’Mahony, O’Brien, Heaslip. Replacements: Cronin, McGrath, Archer, McCarthy, McLaughlin, Murray, Madigan, Henshaw