Postlethwaite among changes for Western Force game
Ulster centre Jude Postlethwaite comes into the Emerging Ireland starting team
- Published
Emerging Ireland head coach Simon Easterby has made a raft of changes to his starting team for Sunday's game against Western Force [12:00 BST] in Bloemfontein, with Ulster centre Jude Postlethwaite among those drafted in.
The squad began their three-match tour to South Africa with a 36-24 victory over the Pumas on Wednesday and will conclude their itinerary with a fixture against the Cheetahs on Wednesday [18:00 BST].
Captain Alex Kendellen is one of two players retained in the starting pack against the Australian side and is joined in the back row by Sean Jansen and Alex Soroka.
Cormac Izuchukwu, a try-scorer on Wednesday afternoon, moves to the second row alongside Conor O’Tighearnaigh, while another try-scorer from the opening game, hooker Gus McCarthy, starts in a new-look front row alongside Alex Usanov and Ronan Foxe, who all featured as second-half replacements last time out.
In the back line, Sam Prendergast retains his place at fly-half and will partner scrum-half Ethan Coughlan.
Sean O’Brien shifts to left wing in a back three which will see first appearances for full-back Andrew Osborne and Ireland Sevens Olympian Chay Mullins, who starts on the right wing, while Postlethwaite forms a new midfield combination alongside Hugh Cooney.
Looking ahead to the game at Toyota Stadium, Easterby said: "The squad has really embraced the opportunity to represent their country since our arrival in South Africa and we are expecting another big step up on Sunday.
"The earlier kick-off time presents a new challenge, but this is exactly the kind of test we want for the squad. We have freshened up the team this weekend, with a number of replacements from the midweek game getting their first starts, and there are other new faces coming into the panel for the first time.
"This freshness will give the squad some energy and there has been a good intensity to training, which I’m pleased about. The players are focused and excited about Sunday’s game and we’re hopeful of further signs of progression."
Emerging Ireland: Andrew Osborne (Leinster); Chay Mullins (Ireland Sevens/Connacht), Hugh Cooney (Leinster), Jude Postlethwaite (Ulster), Sean O’Brien (Munster); Sam Prendergast (Leinster), Ethan Coughlan (Munster); Alex Usanov (Leinster), Gus McCarthy (Leinster), Ronan Foxe (Munster); Cormac Izuchukwu (Ulster), Conor O’Tighearnaigh (Leinster); Alex Soroka (Leinster), Alex Kendellen (Munster) (captain), Sean Jansen (Connacht)
Replacements: Danny Sheahan (Munster), Scott Wilson (Ulster), Jack Aungier (Connacht), Evan O’Connell (Munster), Sean Edogbo (Munster), Cormac Foley (Leinster), Charlie Tector (Leinster), Hugh Gavin (Connacht).