Henshaw to start for Ireland against South Africa

Adrian Cusack

Published: Thu 3 Nov 2022, 2:49 PM

Last updated: Thu 3 Nov 2022, 3:44 PM

Robbie Henshaw has been named in the starting line-up for Ireland's game against reigning world champions South Africa in the opening fixture of the Bank of Ireland Nations Series this Saturday.

The 29-year-old Athlone man, who now has 60 Irish caps under his belt, will start in the '12' shirt at the Aviva Stadium.

Henshaw is one of just five Irish players in the starting team who who also started the last game between the sides in 2017.

The others are Tadhg Furlong, Peter O’Mahony, Johnny Sexton and Conor Murray, who is about to earn his 100th Irish cap.

The game, which gets underway at 5.30pm, will be shown live on Virgin Media and Amazon Prime.

The Irish team in full follows below, with the South African line-up underneath.

Ireland vs South Africa

15. Hugo Keenan (Leinster/UCD) 23 caps

14. Robert Baloucoune (Ulster/Enniskillen) 2 caps

13. Garry Ringrose (Leinster/UCD) 44 caps

12. Robbie Henshaw (Leinster/Buccaneers) 60 caps

11. Mack Hansen (Connacht) 6 caps

10. Johnny Sexton (Leinster/St Mary’s College) 108 caps, captain

9. Conor Murray (Munster/Garryowen) 99 caps

1. Andrew Porter (Leinster/UCD) 46 caps

2. Dan Sheehan (Leinster/Lansdowne) 10 caps

3. Tadhg Furlong (Leinster/Clontarf) 60 caps

4. Tadhg Beirne (Munster/Lansdowne) 33 caps

5. James Ryan (Leinster/UCD) 46 caps

6. Peter O’Mahony (Munster/Cork Constitution) 87 caps

7. Josh van der Flier (Leinster/UCD) 43 caps

8. Caelan Doris (Leinster/St Mary’s College) 20 caps.

Replacements:

16. Rob Herring (Ulster/Ballynahinch) 28 caps

17. Cian Healy (Leinster/Clontarf) 118 caps

18. Finlay Bealham (Connacht/Buccaneers) 25 caps

19. Kieran Treadwell (Ulster/Ballymena) 8 caps

20. Jack Conan (Leinster/Old Belvedere) 30 caps

21. Jamison Gibson Park (Leinster) 20 caps

22. Joey Carbery (Munster/Clontarf) 35 caps

23. Stuart McCloskey (Ulster/Bangor) 6 caps.

South Africa vs Ireland

15. Cheslin Kolbe (Toulon); 14. Kurt-Lee Arendse (Vodacom Bulls), 13. Jesse Kriel (Canon Eagles), 12. Damian de Allende (Wild Knights), 11. Makazole Mapimpi (Cell C Sharks); 10. Damian Willemse (DHL Stormers), 9. Jaden Hendrikse (Cell C Sharks); 1. Steven Kitshoff (DHL Stormers), 2. Malcolm Marx (Kubota Spears), 3. Frans Malherbe (DHL Stormers); 4. Eben Etzebeth (Cell C Sharks), 5. Lood de Jager (Wild Knights); 6. Siya Kolisi (captain, Cell C Sharks), 7. Pieter-Steph du Toit (Toyota Verblitz), 8. Jasper Wiese (Leicester Tigers).

Replacements: 16. Bongi Mbonambi (Cell C Sharks), 17. Ox Nche (Cell C Sharks), 18. Vincent Koch (unattached), 19. Franco Mostert (Honda Heat), 20. Deon Fourie (DHL Stormers), 21. Kwagga Smith (Shizuoka Blue Revs), 22. Faf de Klerk (Canon Eagles), 23. Willie le Roux (Toyota Verblitz).