Ireland team v Portugal: Paul O'Connell makes five changes to starting XV
's interim coach has made five changes to the run-on team – there are eight in total – that beat Georgia 34-5 for Saturday's Test match against Portugal in the Estádio Nacional do Jamor, Lisbon (7pm, Irish time, live on Virgin Media).
Two uncapped players, Connacht wing Shayne Bolton and Munster flanker Alex Kendellen, are in the starting team, while another, young Connacht centre Hugh Gavin is set to make his debut off the bench.
There are two changes in the backline, the 25-year-old Bolton replacing the luckless Jacob Stockdale who has returned home with a shoulder injury while Jack Crowley will make his 26th appearance in an Ireland jersey alongside Craig Casey, who once again captains the team.
There are three changes to the pack, Tom Ahern, who won a first cap as a replacement in Tbilisi starts alongside Darragh Murray in the secondrow while Kendellen and Cian Prendergast replace Nick Timoney and Gavin Coombes respectively in the backrow.
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Kendellen led Emerging Ireland on last year's winning tour to Bloemfontein. Prendergast was a late withdrawal from the match 23 last weekend with a gastro bug.
Tom O'Toole is promoted to the bench having shaken off an injury niggle while Ciarán Frawley will cover outhalf. The 21-year-old Galway native Gavin is a former Ireland Under-20 Grand Slam winner, and like his provincial team-mate Bolton scored on his Ireland 'A' debut in February.
The third potential debutant sees Connacht's Hugh Gavin promoted to the replacements bench and is joined by Ben Murphy and Ciaran Frawley as Ireland's backline replacements. Tom O'Toole joins Tom Stewart and Michael Milne in providing front-row impact off the bench, with Cormac Izuchukwu and Max Deegan completing the replacements.
Portugal will become the 21st nation that Ireland has awarded caps against and the first 'new' nation since facing Russia in 2002.
O'Connell said: 'I have been really pleased with the attitude of the players over the last number of weeks. The dedication and diligence of the squad in testing conditions over in Tbilisi demonstrated the players' willingness to embrace challenges and hopefully that bodes well again this weekend.
'This Saturday presents another opportunity to go out and try to play our game. Portugal are another impressive emerging side who look to play an exciting brand of rugby, and we know that we're in for another battle hopefully in front of another big crowd of travelling supporters.
'To our three new debutants – Shayne, Alex and Hugh – congratulations on their selection. The team will try to deliver a positive performance for them and their families.'
Ireland: J O'Brien (Leinster/Naas); T O'Brien (Leinster/UCD), J Osborne (Leinster/Naas), S McCloskey (Bangor/Ulster), S Bolton (Connacht); J Crowley (Munster/Cork Constitution), C Casey (Munster/Shannon, capt); J Boyle (Leinster/UCD), G McCarthy (Leinster/UCD), T Clarkson (Leinster/Dublin University); T Ahern (Munster/Shannon), D Murray (Connacht/Buccaneers); R Baird (Leinster/Dublin University), A Kendellen (Munster/UCC), C Prendergast (Connacht/UCD). Replacements: T Stewart (Ulster/Ballynahinch), Michael Milne (Munster/UCD), T O'Toole (Ulster/Ballynahinch), C Izuchukwu (Ulster/Ballynahinch), M Deegan (Leinster/Lansdowne), B Murphy (Connacht/Clontarf), C Frawley (Leinster/UCD), H Gavin (Connacht/Galwegians).
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