O'Connell and Best promoted to starting team

Secondrow Paul O'Connell and hooker Rory Best have both been promoted to the starting XV for the RBS Six Nations championship game against Wales from the replacements bench that they occupied in Ireland's last game against Scotland.

Both O'Connell and Best came on against Scotland in Croke Park and the players that they replaced, Mick O'Driscoll and Bernard Jackman have moved to the replacements for the game.

A vacancy has been left at full back as both Geordan Murphy and Girvan Dempsey are recovering from Achilles and hip injuries respectively at this time.

A decision on who will be selected at full back will be made on Thursday following the Ireland training session.

The Ireland team to play Wales in the RBS 6 Nations Championship on Saturday, March 8 2008 in Croke Park, Dublin at 13.30hrs is as follows:

Player

15 - A.N. Other

14 - Tommy Bowe

13 - Brian O'Driscoll Captain

12 - Andrew Trimble

11 - Robert Kearney

10 - Ronan O'Gara

9 - Eoin Reddan

1 - Marcus Horan

2 - Rory Best

3 - John Hayes

4 - Donncha O'Callaghan

5 - Paul O'Connell

6 - Denis Leamy

7 - David Wallace

8 - Jamie Heaslip

Replacements:

16 - Bernard Jackman

17 - Tony Buckley

18 - Mick O'Driscoll

19 - Simon Easterby

20 - Peter Stringer

21 - Paddy Wallace

22 - Shane Horgan