Murphy drafted in for Italy clash

Ireland Coach Eddie O'Sullivan has made two changes to the starting Ireland team to play Italy this Friday in Belfast in what will be the last warm up game for Ireland before the Rugby World Cup.

The changes from the side that played against Bayonne, one positional and one in personnel, see Andrew Trimble move from the right wing to outside centre in the absence of the injured Brian O'Driscoll.

Geordan Murphy comes onto the right wing from the replacements.

There have also been several changes to the replacements bench.

Simon Best and Jerry Flannery will cover prop and hooker respectively instead of Bryan Young and Frankie Sheahan.

Stephen Ferris and Issac Boss come into the match squad in place of Eoin Reddan and Alan Quinlan, with Brian Carney covering the outside backs.

Paul O'Connell takes over the captaincy of the team for this game.

Ireland team to face Italy at Ravenhill on Friday (19.45):

Team: G Dempsey (Leinster); G Murphy (Leicester), A Trimble (Ulster), G D’Arcy (Leinster), D Hickie (Leinster); R O’Gara (Munster), P Stringer (Munster); M Horan (Munster), R Best (Ulster), J Hayes (Munster), D O’Callaghan (Munster), P O’Connell (Munster, captain), S Easterby (Llanelli), N Best (Ulster), D Leamy (Munster).

Replacements: J Flannery (Munster), S Best (Ulster), M O’Kelly (Leinster), S Ferris (Ulster), I Boss (Ulster), P Wallace (Ulster), B Carney (Munster).