Autumn Nations Cup: Ireland make four changes for England game as Aki, Earls, Byrne and Stander come in

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Jacob Stockdale and Iain Henderson return to the Ireland matchday squad after being late withdrawals from the game against Wales
Ulster duo Jacob Stockdale and Iain Henderson are named on the bench after being late withdrawals from the team that started against Wales
Autumn Nations Cup: England v Ireland
Venue: Twickenham Date: Saturday 21 November Kick-off: 15:00 GMT
Coverage: Commentary on BBC Radio 5 Live Sports Extra and BBC Radio Ulster and online with live text commentary

Ireland have made four changes for Saturday's Autumn Nations Cup game against England as Bundee Aki, Keith Earls, Ross Byrne and CJ Stander are drafted into the starting line-up.

Leinster fly-half Byrne and Connacht centre Aki come in for injured pair Johnny Sexton and Robbie Henshaw.

Wing Keith Earls replaces Munster team-mate Andrew Conway with flanker Stander taking over from Josh van der Flier.

Ulster pair Jacob Stockdale and Iain Henderson are named on the bench.

Both were late withdrawals for last weekend's win over Wales because of injury after originally being selected in the starting line-up.

Hugo Keenan remains at full-back for the match at Twickenham, with Connacht's Quinn Roux again partnering James Ryan in the second row.

Ryan will captain Ireland from the start after taking the armband during the first half of last Friday's game when Sexton was forced off.

Ross Byrne replaces injured Johnny Sexton at fly-half as Ulster's number 10 Billy Burns is named on the bench
Andy Farrell has no concerns over Ross Byrne's temperament

Fly-half Byrne will earn his ninth cap after Sexton's hamstring injury ruled him out earlier this week.

"He has played big games for Leinster and this is his chance to go to Twickenham and show what he has got," said Ireland coach Andy Farrell of Byrne.

"I have no concerns whatsoever about Ross and his temperament.

"He will play his game and he will be his own guy. His style is cool, calm and collected."

Jamison Gibson-Park retains the scrum-half jersey as Conor Murray is named on the bench.

Ulster fly-half Billy Burns is named in the replacements after earning his first cap when replacing Sexton in the opening half last weekend, before a head injury assessment led to his departure in the 65th minute.

Burns' Ulster team-mate Rob Herring is also included in the replacements as he takes over from Connacht hooker Dave Heffernan.

Ireland: Keenan; Earls, Farrell, Aki, Lowe; R Byrne, Gibson-Park; Healy, Kelleher, Porter; Roux, Ryan (capt); Stander, O'Mahony, Doris.

Replacements: Herring, E Byrne, Bealham, Henderson, Connors, Murray, B Burns, Stockdale.

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150 comments

  • Darks days when the Irish rugby team is getting the mickey taken out if it for fielding non native born players in a sporting team....by English sports fans.

    • Cantonawont replied:
      Clowns.

  • Oh dear. Is it just me that thinks the people who moan about the nationality of players do so because they know little about rugby? The eligibility rules are the same for everyone so it's all a bit pointless.

    • Bob replied:
      For someone to have the opinion the residency rule is too short is pretty understandable.

  • Who was born where only matters if the rules have been broken or you are a bigot that’s been drinking all night. Looking forward to the game, I don’t think that there will be much in it.

    • WellKeen replied:
      Why bother having National teams at all when you can start a team with 5 men who never set foot in Ireland until into their 20's and don't even have one Irish granny to scrape together between the lot of them?!

  • Great it’s on channel 4 too.

    • Malcolm Tent replied:
      It can’t be. The BBC have provided a list of where coverage is being provided above and C4 isn’t mentioned .....

  • At the end of it, I couldn't care how many non-nationals play for other teams, or did. Irish rugby is very strong club-wise, lots of class players, yet we go and bring in ringers, instead of playing good locals, Cooney, etc. We certainly don't need wingers.
    I'm no troll by the way, as insinuated. This is a justifiable debate.
    Ireland's call? Maybe we should do the Haka instead

    • JimmyC replied:
      In several cases, the adopted-nationals are fringe players who would not normally feature, and more than usual are featuring because of the massive injury list.

      Some comments have been made re blocking young Irish talent, but recent caps or additions to the squad include Doris, Connors, Keenen, Baird, Byrne, Kelleher, so that narrative is wide of the mark.

  • Looking forward to this , reckon Ireland will ask questions of england but think england will play clever and Ford will start I reckon . Either way should be a good craic . Welcome Ireland , and let’s go

    • steggsy replied:
      Of course they'll ask questions. They're a proper team of proper players.

  • Think it will be tougher than that but still agree with an England win on current form , though that didn’t help in the WC final! Ireland very capable of beating England so should be a good game of Rugby .

  • Looks like Ireland have basically ditched the few experimental players they were using for the Wales game, and have filled in for injuries.

    I actually think they'll be a better side with Byrne in. With Sexton you're almost waiting for him to break now.

    • JimmyC replied:
      Having Ross Byrne in there simplifies things a bit, taking attention away from 10. Ross has a battle on his hands with Burns on the bench, his own younger brother playing well at Leinster and Ben Healy coming through strongly in Munster ... and add in Joey Carberry once he shakes off his latest injury.

  • I know it's tenuous, but at least there is still some slight Ulster connection in the starting 15, as one player was raised there.

  • Residency rules should only be relevant if the player moved to the country in question before their 18th birthday.
    Happy for players to adopt another country in their childhood, but once you are playing elite rugby, you shouldn't be able to play for the country that pays the most.

    • ChunnnGeeKippa YoooSsshee QQQQQ replied:
      Like it !!

  • Disappointed with the non-Irish contingent in the team. I mean, you'd never get England using players born in another country would you? Or .........

    • -_- replied:
      Being born somewhere is not always a true reflection of your nationality though.

      George North was born in England but I wouldn't deny him being a proud Welshman.

      You can also have a dual affiliation. Mako Vunipola is proud to play for England, as that is where he grew up, but also has an affinity for Tonga.

      Thankfully we live in a diverse and accepting society.

  • Only 8 overseas players selected - 3 of them with grandparent qualifications.

    With Furlong, Scannell, Kilcoyne, Baird, Leavy, Conan, Sexton, Carbery, Ringrose, Henshaw and Larmour not yet available to Farrell through injury or recovery, he's been forced into trialling new players whether he wants to or not.
    If they can keep the losing margin to under 10, they should keep building for the future.

    • vvales replied:
      And if they win with a development team it won’t be the luck of the Irish that will have done it.....

  • Billy Burns was class before he had to go off not sure why you wouldn't start him against many players he will have played before.

    On another note, I feel the residency rule should be 5 years. Nothing wrong with someone representing a country they were brought up in or have grown and developed in (Manu T for example). 3 years was always too short. You can go to Uni for 3 years.

    • TheLastKingOfEngland replied:
      Then you have your wish, it is 5 years, and will come into force from 1st January 2021.

      Mostly this was push by the RFU, and was agreed a few years ago, just a bit of discussion around when it will be introduced.

      Crucially taking it out to 5 years means it moves outside of 1 World Cup cycle. So sides can't bring in development players for the next World Cup.

  • I think the weather will have a big effect on how the game pans out, if it stays dry we should get some running rugby but if the rain which is forecast gets here early it might become a "stick it up the jumper" game. Hope it stays dry and England win by 10. In respect to our opponents I shall be downing several cans of the black stuff.

    • JimmyC replied:
      Rain tomorrow, may ease off in time for the match but winds of up to 30mph forecast. Pretty grim.

  • Good luck to the Irish, New Zealand and South African players, oh and the English player, in the Irish match day squad.
    I've never felt less bothered about whether an Ireland team wins.
    There has never been so many non Irish players on the team before. What message does that send out about the state of Irish rugby, which was supposedly so healthy?
    It's an embarrassment.

    • alan replied:
      I'm Irish and totally agree. We don't even NEED them. Disgraceful. Am I meant to cheer on Kiwis, who arrived here 36 months ago, keeping good players out of playing for their country?

  • I think Farrell is experimenting still. So I wouldn't put great store on this panel...including the blow ins. It's good that he does not respect any sacred cows. Its the 6N and the build up to the World Cup that matters. We will need a Plan B. England does not have one.

  • https://www.ruck.co.uk/mako-vunipola-responds-to-reports-he-could-swap-countries-in-the-future/

  • Sexton probably won't make the 2023 RWC therefore a new starter at ten is good for the Irish long term, even if an England win is now more likely.

  • England to get thrashed.
    Dont ask me, I don't know why or how but they will.
    Although running down the Ford channel is probably easiest.

  • England fans talking about Irish players nationality when some of them would like to be able to pick from the Empire for England if allowed.

    • JimmyC replied:
      What sort of drivel is that? Cop on.

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