Rugby World Cup: Ronan Kelleher Starts For Ireland Against South Africa

• Ronan Kelleher starts for Ireland against South Africa as Dan Sheehan returns.

Ronan Kelleher will start at hooker for Ireland’s crucial Pool B match against holders South Africa at the Rugby World Cup on Saturday.

Kelleher gets the nod from Andy Farrell to start ahead of Dan Sheehan, who returns from injury to make the bench.

Leinster’s Sheehan missed Ireland’s opening bonus-point wins over Romania and Tonga with a foot injury.

Scrum-half Jamison Gibson-Park returns in place of Conor Murray in the only change from the team that beat Tonga.

In the replacements, Sheehan replaces Rob Herring while fly-half Jack Crowley comes in for Ross Byrne.

Ireland lead Pool B after the wins over Romania and Tonga in which Farrell’s side scored 20 tries, while the Springboks defeated Scotland before earning maximum points against Romania.

The winner of the highly anticipated Stade de France encounter will be well placed to top the pool and book a probable quarter-final against New Zealand.

“[There’s] a bit of continuity. I think it’s a pretty good side, one that is capable of taking on the world champions,” said head coach Farrell.

“Dan Sheehan is obviously fit and raring to go. He is in fine condition and a world-class hooker, in my opinion, so he gets the chance to get his tournament under way.

“The conversations I have to have during the week are difficult ones because they all want to play, and deservedly so.

“They are all good players in their own right but, at the end of the day, we have to make the right decisions for the team for this particular game.

“Those conversations are never easy, but the players make them easier because they understand the team always comes first.”

‘I wanted a one-seven split’

Key second row Eben Etzebeth has been passed fit for South Africa, who named their team to face Ireland on Tuesday.

The Springboks have opted for seven forwards on the bench, with scrum-half Cobus Reinach the sole back in the replacements – compared to Ireland’s more conventional five-three split.

“I think it’s great,” Farrell said of South Africa’s forward-heavy approach to the replacements.

“It suits them and they know their squad. I think it shows exactly where they want to go with their game plan, and we do the same with the subs we pick as well.”

Farrell joked: “I did pose the question to our forwards coaches to see if we could go with a seven-one split, with seven backs and one forward, but they weren’t up for that.

“It’s the same with a five/three split, you can’t cover everything, but you need to be adaptable and that is something we have worked hard on in our planning over the past few years to be able to do that.

“They’ve done exactly the same with a seven-one split in mind. I love it and I respect it.

“I like the fact they know the squad, bringing four scrum-halves over and a hooker that has not really played in the specialist position before.

“It shows that they know their players, know their team and know which direction they want to go.

“Hopefully they think the same about us as well.”

Ireland: Keenan; Hansen, Ringrose, Aki, Lowe; Sexton (capt), Gibson-Park; Porter, Kelleher, Furlong, Ryan, Beirne, O’Mahony, Van der Flier, Doris.

Replacements: Sheehan, Bealham, Kilcoyne, Henderson, Baird, Murray, Crowley, Henshaw.

South Africa: Willemse; Arendse, Kriel, De Allende, Kolbe; Libbok, De Klerk; Kitshoff, Mbonambi, Malherbe, Etzebeth, Mostert, Kolisi (capt), Du Toit, Wiese.

Replacements: Fourie, Nche, Nyakane, Kleyn, Snyman, Van Staden, Smith, Reinach.