Centres call a leap of faith, admits Schmidt

Joe Schmidt admitted he was taking a step into the unknown by sending rookie Test centres Jared Payne and Robbie Henshaw up against South Africa tomorrow.

Naming a side to take on the number two-ranked rugby nation, fresh from their Rugby Championship defeat of New Zealand, was always going to be difficult for Ireland’s head coach at the start of this month’s Guinness Series given the injuryprofile of his squad and the vacuum created by the retirement of iconic No.13 Brian O’Driscoll following last spring’s Six Nations success.

Yet, for all the absentees, when Schmidt named his team yesterday, he opted to go without O’Driscoll’s long-term midfield ally Gordon D’Arcy after he missed training sessions last week.