Carty gets the nod as Ireland name team for Japan clash
Jack Carty has been selected to start Ireland's Rugby World Cup encounter against host nation Japan on Saturday.
It will be the Athlone man's second start in a senior test match for Ireland. His selection from the start is just reward for the impressive way Carty has acquitted himself at international level since he made his debut in the Six Nations campaign earlier this year.
Carty was introduced as a substitute in Ireland's emphatic win over Scotland in their opening Pool A match last Sunday. The Connacht out-half scored a penalty as Ireland claimed a 27-3 victory over their Six Nations rivals.
The involvement of first choice out-half Johnny Sexton in the Japan match had been considered doubtful and he has been left out of the squad, with Joey Carbery named among the replacements.
Carty's Buccaneers colleague, Robbie Henshaw is not included in the squad as he continues his recovery from a hamstring injury.
With two Athlone men in the Ireland squad, another local link is the involvement of physiotherapist Keith Fox, who runs Action Physio in Athlone.
In total, Ireland head coach Joe Schmidt and his staff have made four changes to the starting team - all in the backline. Rob Kearney and Keith Earls have recovered from injury and are included in the back three. In addition to Carty's inclusion, the other change sees Chris Farrell selected in the centre where he will be partnered by Garry Ringrose.
Iain Henderson will win his 50th cap for Ireland and he is again partnered with James Ryan in an unchanged pack.
Joey Carbery has recovered from injury and is named in the replacements alongside Jordan Larmour and Luke McGrath. Sean Cronin is in line for his first appearance as he is included on the bench with Dave Kilcoyne, Andrew Porter, Tadhg Beirne and Peter O’Mahony.
Ireland team v Japan, 2019 Rugby World Cup Pool A, Shziuoka Stadium Ecopa
(Saturday, September 28, kick-off 8.15am Irish time)
15. Rob Kearney (UCD/Leinster) 92 caps
14. Keith Earls (Young Munster/Munster) 78
13. Garry Ringrose (UCD/Leinster) 25
12. Chris Farrell (Young Munster/Munster) 8
11. Jacob Stockdale (Lurgan/Ulster) 22
10. Jack Carty (Buccaneers/Connacht) 8
9. Conor Murray (Garryowen/Munster) 75
1. Cian Healy (Clontarf/Leinster) 92
2. Rory Best (Banbridge/Ulster) (captain) 121
3. Tadhg Furlong (Clontarf/Leinster) 37 caps
4. Iain Henderson (Queen’s University/Ulster) 49
5. James Ryan (UCD/Leinster) 20
6. Peter O’Mahony (Cork Constitution/Munster) 60
7. Josh van der Flier (UCD/Leinster) 20
8. CJ Stander (Shannon/Munster) 34
Replacements
16. Sean Cronin (St Mary’s College/Leinster) 70
17. Dave Kilcoyne (UL Bohemians/Munster) 32
18. Andrew Porter (UCD/Leinster) 19
19. Tadhg Beirne (Lansdowne/Munster) 9
20. Rhys Ruddock (St. Mary’s College/Leinster) 23
21. Luke McGrath (UCD/Leinster) 15
22. Joey Carbery (Clontarf/Munster) 19
23. Jordan Larmour (St. Mary’s College/Leinster) 17