O’Driscoll will pair up with Gordon D’Arcy at centre, with Kevin Maggs dropping to the bench. Ireland Coach, Eddie O’Sullivan, acknowledged that the fifty-nine times capped Maggs had been unlucky to lose his place.
“It was a very, very tight call but Gordon D’Arcy did extremely well in Paris and deserves another run,” said O’Sullivan.
The other change in the Ireland line up from the defeat in Paris sees O’Callaghan replacing Malcolm O’Kelly. With D’Arcy accommodated in the centre, winger, Tyrone Howe and full back, Girvan Dempsey, retain their starting places.
O’Kelly, who won his sixtieth cap in Paris, has paid for a below par display against the French. O’Callaghan did well when he was introduced as a replacement in Paris and will partner O’Connell is an all Munster second row.
Munster wing Anthony Horgan, who came on as a replacement in Paris, drops out of the Ireland Squad.
