Murphy and Dempsey out of Wales clash

Geordan Murphy and Girvan Dempsey have today been ruled out of Saturday's RBS Six Nations Championship game against Wales due to Achilles and hip injuries respectively.

Thu, 06 Mar, 2008 - 13:07

Rob Kearney will start at full-back for Ireland’s RBS 6 Nations clash with Wales after Geordan Murphy and Girvan Dempsey failed fitness tests today.

Ireland coach Eddie O’Sullivan was prepared to give rivals Murphy and Dempsey until lunchtime to prove their availability for Saturday’s Croke Park showdown.

Their failure to recover in time has forced O’Sullivan to implement his contingency plan however, with Kearney of Leinster moving from left wing to full-back.

Ulster’s Tommy Bowe switches flanks to take Kearney’s place on the left, Shane Horgan is promoted from the bench to plug the gap at 14 and Luke Fitzgerald is called onto the bench.

An Irish Rugby Football Union statement read: “Following a fitness test before the Ireland training session today, both Geordan Murphy and Girvan Dempsey have been ruled out of the Six Nations game against Wales due to Achilles and hip injuries respectively.”

The Ireland team to play Wales in the RBS 6 Nations Championship on Saturday, 8th March 2008 in Croke Park, Dublin at 1.30pm is as follows:

15 - Robert Kearney

14 - Shane Horgan

13 - Brian O’Driscoll Captain

12 - Andrew Trimble

11 - Tommy Bowe

10 - Ronan O’Gara

9 - Eoin Reddan

1 - Marcus Horan

2 - Rory Best

3 - John Hayes

4 - Donncha O’Callaghan