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Ireland Make One Change for Final Warm-Up Against Italy

Reuters
Aug 21, 2007

Ireland captain Brian O'Driscoll (C) stands, prior to taking his flight back to Ireland, at the Biarritz airport in western France. O'Driscoll will miss this week's friendly international against Italy after being struck in the face during a warm-up game against Bayonne. (Daniel Velez/AFP/Getty Images)
Ireland captain Brian O'Driscoll (C) stands, prior to taking his flight back to Ireland, at the Biarritz airport in western France. O'Driscoll will miss this week's friendly international against Italy after being struck in the face during a warm-up game against Bayonne. (Daniel Velez/AFP/Getty Images)

LONDON (Reuters)-Ireland have made one change to the team that defeated French side Bayonne for Friday's final World Cup warm-up fixture against Italy in Belfast.

Ulster utility back Andrew Trimble moves into the centre to replace injured captain Brian O'Driscoll allowing Leicester's Geordon Murphy to come into the team on the right wing. Lock Paul O'Connell assumes the captaincy.

O'Driscoll is set to miss Ireland's first World Cup match against Namibia on September 9th after fracturing his sinus when struck by Bayonne's Mikaera Tewhata in Thursday's 42-6 victory.

Leinster winger Shane Horgan has also been ruled out of the opener with a knee ligament strain while flanker David Wallace (ankle) is the only other absentee in an otherwise full strength side.

Team: 15-Girvan Dempsey 14-Geordan Murphy, 13-Andrew Trimble, 12-Gordon D'Arcy, 11-Denis Hickie, 10-Ronan O'Gara, 9-Peter Stringer, 8-Denis Leamy, 7-Neil Best, 6-Simon Easterby, 5-Paul O'Connell, 4-Donncha O'Callaghan, 3-John Hayes, 2-Rory Best, 1-Marcus Horan.

Replacements: 16-Jerry Flannery, 17-Simon Best, 18-Malcolm O'Kelly, 19-Stephen Ferris, 20-Isaac Boss, 21-Paddy Wallace, 22-Brian Carney.



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