Kobe (Japan) (AFP)
Jonathan Sexton, voted the world's best player in 2018, will return with Ireland to Russia on Thursday in Kobe, after being rested for adductor problems.
Aligned in the first match of Ireland at the World Cup, won against Scotland (27-3), Sexton had left his partners after 58 minutes of play. Then he was left to rest during the lost match against Japan (19-12) Saturday.
An essential part of the very pragmatic Irish play, 34-year-old Sexton played only 11 games in 2019, including 7 with the Clover XV, due to recurring physical problems.
For his return and in the absence of hooker Rory Best, Sexton will even captain of the Irish XV.
Outside the return of Sexton, coach Joe Schmidt has chosen to upset the team beaten by the Japanese: only four players who started will be present at the kickoff against the Russians (Kearney, Earls, Ringrose, O'Mahony) .
Ranked among the contenders for the final victory, Ireland must win its last two games (Russia, Samoa) to hope to advance to the quarter-finals.
Composition of the Ireland team:
Kearney - Conway, Ringrose, Aki, Earls - (o) Sexton (cap.), (M) McGrath - O'Mahony, Murphy J., Ruddock - Kleyn, Beirne - Jo. Ryan, Scannell, Kilcoyne
Alternates: Cronin, Porter, Furlong, Henderson, Stander, Carbery, Carty, Larmour
pga / dhe
© 2019 AFP