Reuters/Dublin
Simon Zebo will get another chance to show his fullback credentials after being named to start in the position in a near-full strength Ireland team to play England at Twickenham in their final World Cup warm-up tomorrow.
In the absence of Rob Kearney, Zebo again starts at 15 having produced a man of the match performance in the position in last month’s victory over Scotland.
“We just felt it was important to get Simon a little bit more time at full-back once we decided he was going to cover full-back for us,” said Ireland coach Joe Schmidt.
“Rob Kearney has a bruise on his knee but he trained fully and we could have picked him,” added the New Zealander.
“Keith has completed his return to play protocols thus far, so we’d expect that he would probably have been fit to be selected,” said Schmidt.
“But the thing with Keith and what we’re trying to do with balance at the moment, there
are some guys that play really well fresh and others that need to get a bit more a game rhythm, and Keith’s had a couple of outings.
“In the first game in the Millennium I thought he looked super-sharp, so to have him fresh where there’s a small degree of doubt then it just made sense.
“We wanted to give Simon another run at full-back, and Dave Kearney and Tommy Bowe again on the wings.”
With Kearney likely to be Ireland’s first-choice fullback in the World Cup, Zebo will hope a good showing tomorrow will boost his chances of matchday inclusion in the tournament.
As he is also in with a shot on the wing and his versatility could work in his favour.
Prop Cian Healy has not been risked as he recovers from injury, meaning he will go into the World Cup without playing in any of the warm-up games.
Rory Best returns at hooker for his first start of the campaign while Jared Payne comes back into the side to renew his centre partnership with Robbie Henshaw, with Conor Murray and Jonathan Sexton the halfbacks.
Paul O’Connell captains the team and is partnered in the second row by Devin Toner.
After losing at home to Wales last week Ireland will be desperate to get back on track ahead of their World Cup opener against Canada on September 19.
Ireland beat England in the Six Nations in Dublin in March but have lost on their last two visits to Twickenham.
Ireland team:
15-Simon Zebo (Cork Con/Munster), 14-Tommy Bowe (Belfast Harlequins/Ulster), 13-Jared Payne (Ulster), 12-Robbie Henshaw (Buccaneers/Connacht), 11-Dave Kearney (Lansdowne/Leinster) 10-Jonathan Sexton (St Mary’s/Leinster), 9-Conor Murray (Garryowen/Munster); 8-Jamie Heaslip (Dublin University/Leinster), 7-Sean O’Brien (UCD/Leinster), 6-Peter O’Mahony (Cork Con/Munster), 5-Paul O’Connell (Young Munster) captain 4-Devin Toner (Lansdowne/Leinster), 3-Mike Ross (Clontarf/Leinster), 2-Rory Best (Banbridge/Ulster), 1-Jack McGrath (St. Mary’s/Leinster).
16-Richardt Strauss (Old Wesley/Leinster), 17-Tadhg Furlong (Clontarf/Leinster), 18-Nathan White (Connacht), 19-Donnacha Ryan (Shannon/Munster), 20-Chris Henry (Malone/Ulster), 21-Eoin Reddan (Old Crescent/Leinster), 22-Ian Madigan (Blackrock/Leinster), 23-Darren Cave (Belfast Harlequins/Ulster)
Simon Zebo
