Ireland will face Russia on Thursday, October 3rd. A high-stakes match for the Shamrocks, who must shine if they hope to stay in the competition after their loss to Japan.
Pumped up from the start of the World Cup, Ireland had to absorb a defeat they hadn’t anticipated… It must be said that the Japanese, like the Irish, gave their all, delivering the best match of the tournament so far. However, it wasn’t enough for Ireland to win…
Now, it’s up to Ireland to give their all against Russia this Thursday, then against Samoa on October 12th. They will even need to secure the offensive bonus point to hope to top Pool A (where Ireland currently sits second).
From now on, Ireland must be flawless… And coach Joe Schmidt understands this well, having decided to completely reshuffle his team. Notably, the return of the great Jonathan Sexton, captain of the Shamrocks, known for his performances and ability to effectively rally his teammates.
Absent during the match against Japan, Sexton is expected to bring new energy to the Greens and restore confidence to a shaken Ireland…
Rory Best, meanwhile, will be on the bench, given a rest. At scrum-half, Luke McGrath will start instead of Conor Murray. After undergoing a concussion protocol following the Ireland-Japan match, Chris Farrell will not be allowed to play and will be replaced by Garry Ringrose.
As for Russia (weakened and considered the weakest team in Pool A), they hope to put up a good fight against Ireland. So far, the Russians have suffered a defeat against Samoa. Predictions already favor Ireland, but beware… this Rugby World Cup has proven to be full of surprises…
Tune in tomorrow at 12:15 PM on TMC to watch the match!
Ireland’s Lineup Against Russia:
- Starters: R. Kearney – Conway, Ringrose, Aki, Earls – (o) Sexton (capt.), (m) Murray – Ruddock, Murphy, O’Mahony – Kleyn, Beirne – Jo. Ryan, N. Scannell, Kilcoyne.
- Replacements: Cronin, Porter, Furlong, Henderson, Stander, Carbery, Carty, Larmour.
