Gibson-Park Leads Ireland's Kiwi Quartet For First All Blacks Test

Auckland, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 30th Jun, 2022 ) :Ireland on Thursday named all four of their New Zealand-born players in their line-up for the first Test against the All Blacks in Auckland on Saturday.

Jamison Gibson-Park will start at scrum-half with James Lowe on the wing while Joey Carbery and Bundee Aki, who captained Ireland against the Maori All Blacks on Wednesday, are on the bench for the first Test of a three-match series at Eden Park.

Veteran fly-half Johnny Sexton will captain the side in his 106th international.

Robbie Henshaw and Garry Ringrose start in the centres with Lowe and Keith Earls on the wings and Hugo Keenan at fullback.

In the forwards, prop Andrew Porter returns after missing the final two games of this year's Six Nations through injury.

He will pack down alongside Dan Sheehan and Tadhg Furlong with Tadhg Beirne and James Ryan at lock.

Peter O'Mahony will fill the blindside flanker berth with Josh van der Flier at openside and Caelan Doris at the back.

Ireland (15-1): Hugo Keenan; Keith Earls, Garry Ringrose, Robbie Henshaw, James Lowe; Johnny Sexton (capt), Jamison Gibson-Park; Caelan Doris, Josh van der Flier, Peter O'Mahony; James Ryan, Tadhg Beirne; Tadhg Furlong, Dan Sheehan, Andrew Porter.

Replacements: Dave Heffernan, Finlay Bealham, Cian Healy, Kieran Treadwell, Jack Conan, Conor Murray, Joey Carbery, Bundee Aki.