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Jean Kleyn and Mike Haley to make Ireland debuts against Italy

Munster pair Jean Kleyn and Mike Haley are set to make their Ireland debuts in Saturday's World C...



Jean Kleyn and Mike Haley to m...
Rugby

Jean Kleyn and Mike Haley to make Ireland debuts against Italy

Munster pair Jean Kleyn and Mike Haley are set to make their Ireland debuts in Saturday's World Cup warm-up Test with Italy. 

Kleyn's been named in the second row for the game at the Aviva, having only become eligible to play for Ireland today. The South African-born lock is a project player who has completed three-years at Munster.

Haley's the other uncapped player in the matchday-23, and he's been named among the replacements.

There's no room for Jonathan Sexton in the squad, with Joey Carbery starting at out-half and Connacht's Jack Carty on the bench.

Partnering Carbery in the half-backs is Leinster's Luke McGrath, who's given the chance to impress at international level having missed the entire Six Nations campaign through injury.

Garry Ringrose forms a centre partnership with Munster's Chris Farrell, with Dave Kearney and Andrew Conway on the wings and Jordan Larmour at full-back.

Tommy O'Donnell hasn't played an Ireland international since the 2016 Six Nations, and he's named in the back-row with Jordi Murphy and captain Rhys Ruddock.

Kleyn will have the experience of Devin Toner alongside him in the second row.

While the front-row is comprised of the trio of Jack McGrath, Rob Herring and Andrew Porter.

Ireland team v Italy: 

15. Jordan Larmour (St Mary’s College/Leinster) 13 caps
14. Andrew Conway (Garryowen/Munster) 12 caps caps
13. Garry Ringrose (UCD/Leinster) 20 caps
12. Chris Farrell (Young Munster/Munster) 5 caps
11. Dave Kearney (Lansdowne/Leinster) 17
10. Joey Carbery (Clontarf/Munster) 18 caps
9. Luke McGrath (UCD/Leinster) 10 caps

1. Jack McGrath (St Marys College/Leinster) 54 caps
2. Rob Herring (Ballynahinch/Ulster) 7 caps
3. Andrew Porter (UCD/Leinster) 14 caps
4. Devin Toner (Lansdowne/Leinster) 64 caps
5. Jean Kleyn (Munster) uncapped
6. Rhys Ruddock (St Mary’s College/Leinster) 21 caps Captain
7. Tommy O’Donnell (UL Bohemians/Munster) 12 caps
8. Jordi Murphy (Lansdowne/Ulster) 27 caps

Replacements
16. Niall Scannell (Dolphin/Munster) 14 caps
17. Cian Healy (Clontarf/Leinster) 88 caps
18. John Ryan (Cork Constitution/Munster) 18 caps
19. Iain Henderson (Queens University/Ulster) 44 caps
20. Tadhg Beirne (Lansdowne/Munster) 5 caps
21. Kieran Marmion (Galwegians/Connacht) 25 caps
22. Jack Carty (Buccaneers/Connacht) 3 caps
23. Mike Haley (Munster) uncapped

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Dave Kearney Garry Ringrose Ireland Italy Jean Kleyn Joe Schmidt Jonathan Sexton Jordan Larmour Mike Haley Rugby World Cup