Kildare's Prendergast brothers named to start for Ireland in Nations Cup
Ireland kick off the inaugural Nations Championship on Saturday in Sydney
Suncroft natives Cian and Sam Prendergast have been named to start for Ireland in Saturday’s Nations Championship opener against Australia at Allianz Stadium in Sydney The match will be shown live on Virgin Media One and ITV with kick-off 8:10pm local time and 11.10am Irish time.
Dan Sheehan will captain Farrell’s side at a sold-out Allianz Stadium. Hugo Keenan starts at fullback for Ireland, with Rob Baloucoune and Jamie Osborne named on the wings.
Garry Ringrose and Stuart McCloskey line out in midfield, while Sam Prendergast partners Jamison Gibson-Park in the half-backs.
In the pack, Tom O’Toole, Sheehan and Tadhg Furlong make up the front row, with Joe McCarthy and James Ryan in the second row.
The aforementioned Kildare man Cian Prendergast, Josh van der Flier and Jack Conan are named in the back row to complete Ireland’s starting team.
On the bench, Rónan Kelleher, Jeremy Loughman, Thomas Clarkson, Tadhg Beirne, Nick Timoney are the forwards replacements, with Craig Casey, Ciaran Frawley and Bundee Aki the backline options available to Farrell.
Ireland:
15. Hugo Keenan (UCD/Leinster)(46)
14. Rob Baloucoune (Enniskillen/Ulster)(8)
13. Garry Ringrose (UCD/Leinster)(74)
12. Stuart McCloskey (Bangor/Ulster)(28)
11. Jamie Osborne (Naas/Leinster)(15)
10. Sam Prendergast (Lansdowne/Leinster)(15)
9. Jamison Gibson-Park (Leinster)(51)
1. Tom O’Toole (Ballynahinch/Ulster)(21)
2. Dan Sheehan (Lansdowne/Leinster)(39)
3. Tadhg Furlong (Clontarf/Leinster)(86)
4. Joe McCarthy (Dublin University/Leinster)(24)
5. James Ryan (UCD/Leinster)(80)
6. Cian Prendergast (UCD/Connacht)(11)
7. Josh van der Flier (UCD/Leinster)(79)
8. Jack Conan (Old Belvedere/Leinster)(59)
Replacements:
16. Rónan Kelleher (Lansdowne/Leinster)(48)
17. Jeremy Loughman (Garryowen/Munster)(8)
18. Thomas Clarkson (Blackrock College/Leinster)(13)
19. Tadhg Beirne (Lansdowne/Munster)(70)
20. Nick Timoney (Queen’s University/Ulster)(11)
21. Craig Casey (Shannon/Munster)(28
22. Ciaran Frawley (UCD/Leinster)(12)
23. Bundee Aki (Galwegians/Connacht)(69).