UPDATE 1-Rugby-Ireland's Murray to start against Samoa in crunch pool match

UPDATE 1-Rugby-Ireland's Murray to start against Samoa in crunch pool match
Image Credit: Flickr
  • Country:
  • Japan

Scrumhalf Conor Murray returns for Ireland's crunch match against Samoa on Saturday among 11 changes to the starting side, as Joe Schmidt's team seeks a bonus-point victory to ensure a place in the World Cup quarter-finals.

Ireland is second in Pool A on 11 points behind Japan, whose match against Scotland in Yokohama on Sunday has been thrown into doubt due to Typhoon Hagibis. The Ireland-Samoa game, out of the typhoon's trajectory in Fukuoka on Kyushu island, will go ahead.

Tadhg Beirne, who moves to the back row, Jonny Sexton, Bundee Aki, and Keith Earls, who switches wings, are the only players to retain their places from the win over Russia. Team:

15-Jordan Larmour, 14-Keith Earls, 13-Robbie Henshaw, 12-Bundee Aki, 11-Jacob Stockdale, 10-Johnny Sexton, 9-Conor Murray, 8-CJ Stander, 7-Josh van der Flier, 6-Tadgh Beirne, 5-James Ryan, 4-Iain Henderson, 3-Tadgh Furlong, 2-Rory Best (capt), 1-Cian Healy Replacements: 16-Niall Scannell, 17-Dave Kilcoyne, 18-Andrew Porter, 19-Jean Kleyn, 20-Peter O'Mahony, 21-Luke McGrath, 22-Joey Carbery, 23-Andrew Conway

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