Best back for Ireland

Rory Best will start at hooker for Ireland against the Wallabies in Dublin on Saturday.

Best is joined in the front row by Mike Ross and Jack McGrath, with Rhys Ruddock starting at openside flank in a back row that contains Jamie Heaslip and Peter O'Mahony.

Paul O'Connell captains the side on his 96th appearance for Ireland and is partnered in the second row by Devin Toner.

Gordon D'Arcy is installed at inside centre with Robbie Henshaw moving to outside centre.

The halfback combination of Conor Murray and Johnny Sexton is retained from the Springbok game as is the back three of Rob Kearney, Tommy Bowe and Simon Zebo.

Ireland – 15 Rob Kearney, 14 Tommy Bowe, 13 Robbie Henshaw, 12 Gordon D'Arcy, 11 Simon Zebo, 10 Jonathan Sexton, 9 Conor Murray, 8 Jamie Heaslip, 7 Rhys Ruddock, 6 Peter O'Mahony, 5 Paul O'Connell (c), 4 Devin Toner, 3 Mike Ross, 2 Rory Best, 1 Jack McGrath.
Subs: 16 Sean Cronin, 17 Dave Kilcoyne, 18 Rodney Ah You, 19 Dave Foley, 20 Tommy O'Donnell, 21 Eoin Reddan, 22 Ian Madigan, 23 Felix Jones.

Photo: Julian Finney/Getty Images

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