No Kearney or O’Mahony as Ireland name team to face Samoa

No place for Rob Kearney in the matchday 23.

Joe Schmidt has named Jordan Larmour at fullback and Tadhg Beirne at blindside in his starting XV to face Samoa on Saturday.

Peter O’Mahony, who has started all other pool matches, drops to the bench and he is joined there by Joey Carbery and Andrew Conway. Niall Scannell replaces Sean Cronin as hooker replacement.

Schmidt has left Garry Ringrose, who has played all 240+ minutes for Ireland at the World Cup, out of his matchday squad too. Bundee Aki and Robbie Henshaw will start at inside and outside centre.

The in-form Andrew Conway only makes the bench and there is no Chris Farrell in the squad either.

Ireland XV to face Samoa

15. Jordan Larmour
14. Keith Earls
13. Robbie Henshaw
12. Bundee Aki
11. Jacob Stockdale
10. Johnny Sexton
9. Conor Murray

1. Cian Healy
2. Rory Best
3. Tadhg Furlong
4. Iain Henderson
5. James Ryan
6. Tadhg Beirne
7. Josh van der Flier
8. CJ Stander

Replacements: Niall Scannell, Dave Kilcoyne, Andrew Porter, Jean Kleyn, Peter O’Mahony, Luke McGrath, Joey Carbery, Andrew Conway.

The Ireland vs. Samoa game takes place at 11:45am (Irish time) on Saturday, October 12.

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