Ireland v Fiji team news: Farrell excited to see what Hansen brings to fullback, as Bundee Aki starts
IRELAND (team to play Fiji): Mack Hansen (Connacht); Rob Baloucoune (Ulster), Jamie Osborne (Leinster), Bundee Aki (Connacht), Tommy O’Brien (Leinster); Sam Prendergast (Leinster), Jamison Gibson-Park (Leinster); Andrew Porter (Leinster), Rónan Kelleher (Leinster), Tadhg Furlong (Leinster); James Ryan (Leinster), Tadhg Beirne (Munster)(capt); Ryan Baird (Leinster), Josh van der Flier (Leinster), Nick Timoney (Ulster). Replacements: Tom Stewart (Ulster), Tom O’Toole (Ulster), Sam Illo (Connacht), Darragh Murray (Connacht), James McNabney (Ulster), Craig Casey (Munster), Ciarán Frawley (Connacht), Stuart McCloskey (Ulster) Hello and welcome to live coverage of the Andy Farrell ’s team announcement for Ireland ’s Nations Championship match against Fiji at the Aviva Stadium on Saturday night. Farrell has been forced into reshuffle with a few injuries, although he may have picked this as the game anyway to experiment and use the depth of his squad. Nick Timoney could play number eight and Hansen at fullback, but we’ll see what Farrell decides when the team is announced about 2pm. Ireland won their first match of the Nations Championship comfortably, 42-12, and will look to keep that momentum going ahead of the match against world champions South Africa next weekend. Meanwhile, Fiji lost 54-17 to France and will look to bounce back. Here is Gerry Thornley ’s prediction piece: “A little surprisingly, but mindful of the short run to the World Cup, the indications are that Sam Prendergast may be retained at outhalf. For Ciarán Frawley, a dozen of his 14 caps have been as a replacement, and only once has he started a Test at 10. However, his move to Connacht, where he has quickly established himself as the first-choice outhalf, has been a success. “Although Craig Casey started last week, the probability is that he will rotate with Jamison Gibson-Park. The latter’s only outings so far this season have been Leinster’s win over Munster last month and a 26-minute cameo against Argentina last Friday, so he could surely do with more rugby before facing the Springboks.” Ireland’s Mack Hansen may swap to fullback for Fiji clash as Andy Farrell is forced into re-shuffle If you’re looking for more rugby chatter, join our Irish Times Rugby WhatsApp community and get our best rugby writing sent directly to your messages inbox. Can Ireland beat Fiji and South Africa? Gordon D’Arcy and John O’Sullivan react to Ireland’s win over Argentina and ask what it shows about Irelands chances in upcoming matches with Fiji and South Africa. They also discuss with host Nathan Johns the major talking points from all the weekend’s action, and some controversial team decisions made by Andy Farrell to cover the list of injuries. Presented by Nathan Johns. Produced by Andrew McNair. The Ireland team has been announced! IRELAND (team to play Fiji): M Hansen; R Baloucoune, J Osborne, B Aki, T O’Brien; S Prendergast, J Gibson-Park; A Porter, R Kelleher, T Furlong; J Ryan, T Beirne (capt); R Baird, J van der Flier, N Timoney. Replacements: T Stewart, T O’Toole, S Illo, D Murray, J McNabney, C Casey, C Frawley, S McCloskey. Seven changes to the side, as Bundee Aki and Jamison Gibson-Park are among those to come in, while Hansen and Timoney change positions. From Gerry Thornley : Although Andy Farrell has retained a strong core to the Ireland side for next Saturday’s Nations Championship game against Fiji at the Aviva Stadium (kick-off 8.10pm), he has made seven changes from the starting XV for last week’s 52-14 win over Argentina. Injuries to Dan Sheehan and Sean Jansen forced Farrell’s hand to some extent, but while restoring Rónan Kelleher at hooker, the only other change to the tight five sees James Ryan also promoted from the bench. Josh van der Flier is the third forward promoted from last week’s replacements, with Nick Timoney shifting from openside to number eight in Jansen’s absence. Jamison Gibson-Park is also restored at scrumhalf after playing the last 26 minutes against the Pumas, where he is reunited with the retained Sam Prendergast. Bundee Aki, who had been named among the replacements a week ago before being withdrawn due to illness, forms a new midfield partnership with Jamie Osborne, who was called up in Aki’s absence. Tommy O’Brien is also restored on the left wing, with Mack Hansen shifting to fullback as last week’ hat-trick hero Hugo Keenan is rested ahead of winning his 50th cap next week against South Africa. Tom Stewart is promoted to the bench, as is the Connacht lock Darragh Murray and the uncapped Ulster backrower James McNabney, where they are joined by two of last week’s starters, Craig Casey and Stuart McCloskey. Squad analysis from Gerry Thornley : In retaining frontliners such as Andrew Porter, Tadhg Furlong, Tadhg Beirne, Ryan Baird, Cian Prendergast, Robert Baloucoune and Mack Hansen, Andy Farrell clearly believes that playing four matches in a row is not too much to ask of his players. There is clearly one eye on both playing the Springboks next and the World Cup next year. In addition to Dan Sheehan, as he undergoes the return to play protocols, Joe McCathy, Robbie Henshaw and Hugo Keenan (when winning his 50th cap) will all be refreshed and recharged ahead of facing the back-to-back World Cup champions. This Irish team is not where the one of four years ago was after their comeback series win in New Zealand, as Farrell acknowledged after last July’s 40-21 loss to the All Blacks and in the build-up to last week’s game against Argentina. That was an encouraging first step on what felt like a slight rebirth of this Ireland team, with a game designed to adopt more of a kicking strategy and less of a multi-phase approach. But Saturday’s match against Fiji is the first of just eight Tests between now and the World Cup warm-up games to fine tune this approach. The Fiji team is out: Fiji: P Loganimasi; S Ravutaumada, S Bituniyata, J Tuisova, J Wainiqolo; B Volavola, F Lomani; P Ravai, T Ikanivere, L Tagi; J Tamani, I Nasilasila; M Vocevoce, L Tagitagivalu, P Yato. Replacements: Z Togiatama, V Nairau, I Ravuiwasa, K Salawa, E Canakaivata, T Tamani, C Muntz, I Masi. John O’Sullivan on Fiji: Fijian coach Jake White has kept just six of the starting team from the 52-17 defeat to France in Lyon for Saturday night’s clash with Ireland at the Aviva Stadium (8.10pm). Wings Racing 92’s Selestino Ravutaumada and Lyon’s Jiuta Wainiqolo are the only players retained in the backline, while hooker and captain, Tevita Ikanivere (Honda Heat), tighthead prop Luke Tagi (Bayonne), secondrow Isoa Nasilasila (Fiji Drua) and flanker Mesake Vocevoce (Fiji Drua) – he switches from secondrow to flanker – are the starters in the pack from the French game. Sale Sharks wing Ponipate Loganimasi will make only his third appearance for Fiji at fullback. White has opted for his two first choice halfbacks in outhalf Ben Volavola and Frank Lomani. The imposing physicality of Josua Tuisova will be on display in the centre, the Racing 92 back has played over 250 matches in France for Toulon where he won a Champions Cup and French Top 14 title, Lyon and the Parisian club. Andy Farrell speaking about the squad announcement From Gerry Thornley : In previous games when Farrell has made changes, this hasn’t always led to fluid performances, although Farrell maintained: “I don’t think there’s that many changes. There’s a few that we would have had to have made, but I think in this game in particular I like the look of the team. I like the look of last week’s team, but this, I wouldn’t say it’s an experimental team by any stretch of the imagination, this is a good side that should perform on Saturday.” For Bundee Aki, this will be a first start for Ireland since the defeat by South Africa in November last year, since when he was a replacement in the Triple Crown decider against Scotland in March and in all three summer Tests. “It’s good to have him back,” said Farrell of the popular 36-year-old Connacht centre. “He’s great around the place, he’s in good nick, he’s really zoned in this pre-season to come out fighting at the start of the season. “He seems in great shape, in great spirits, although he was pretty sick last week and we didn’t see him for 48 hours. He was locked in a room. But he’s back and healthy and looking forward to the game.” On what he hopes to see Mack Hansen bring to the fullback position, Farrell said: “Just being himself really. I think whatever position you see Mack play, he’ll just be himself. There are not many wingers that play like Mack does. “He always goes roaming for the ball and tries to make a difference no matter what position he plays and we’ve certainly seen him do that for us as well at fullback. On the balance of the backrow, Farrell said: “Well, I think you saw Nick’s performance last week at seven and Josh also saw that and respects that so you’re seeing some good composition there. And then you’re seeing Ryan Baird, his performance in certain areas of the game was pretty good last week. “He’s not played international rugby for a long time now so for him to get a second hit out is going to be good for all three to gel together.” Farrell on James McNabney: James McNabney, the 23-year-old, 120kg, 6ft 5in backrower from a farming background who came through Cambridge House Grammar School outside Ballymena, could make his debut off the bench. “It’s a brilliant story,” said Farrell, “because it’s not a conventional way of coming through, from a rugby point of view, riding horses and farming until he was 16 and making a choice there. Obviously, for the size of him you would have worried for the horses at that stage, wouldn’t you? “But from a school that’s not a traditional rugby school, I think it’s a phenomenal story for him to come through the Under-20s and do what he’s done at Ulster, and here he is, deserving his first cap opportunity on Saturday.” That’s all from me, good night.