Ireland Summer Tour: Expediency encapsulates the Ireland team selection for Saturday's test match against Australia at the Subiaco Oval in Perth. John O'Sullivan writes from Fremantle
The absence of the injured Brian O'Driscoll, Denis Hickie, Justin Bishop, Shane Horgan, John Hayes and Anthony Foley necessitated wholesale changes from Ireland's last outing, against England in the final round of the Six Nations Championship.
To compensate for the missing front line players, coach Eddie O'Sullivan, was asked to reshuffle options, notably in the selection of Geordan Murphy at outside centre.
The Leicester player's versatility has seen him as something of a wandering minstrel in the Irish backline having resided at wing and full back to date.
Murphy now boasts the opportunity to further illustrate his excellent footballing skills, a challenge he relishes.
"I've no qualms about playing there. The minute I heard (two weeks ago) I said 'let's try and do everything in the next few weeks to try and make myself into the right player (for the role)," said Murphy. His experience in that role extends to a few league games for Leicester but O'Sullivan had no reservations about asking him to switch roles. "Once Brian was out of the tour we had to look at the possibilities.
"In the A games in the Six Nations we looked at Jeremy Staunton and Gordon D'Arcy and they weren't quite up to speed with it yet. Given Geordan's versatility, he has the ability to play that position.
"I suppose people would argue that he has the ability to play in most positions. It's not rocket science (moving) between 15 and 13; it's the same basic principles. "
Further changes in the backline herald the return of right wing James Topping, back to win his eighth cap in eight years and his first since playing against the USA in 2000. The Ballymena and Ulster player has been in excellent form in recent months, manifest in his superb individual try in the recent AIB League Division One final.
John Kelly returns on the left wing where he will have the onerous task of keeping tabs on Wendell Sailor. The perennial outhalf debate received another airing, O'Sullivan siding with David Humphreys, who will also captain the team in his 53rd international.
He has led Ireland on a couple of occasions against the Barbarians and also in last season's Six Nations against Italy. O'Sullivan explained: "He's just got the edge on Ronan (O'Gara) at the moment. It's a tight call every time but once more we have gone for David." The one tangible concern for the Irish team management was an injury to scrumhalf Peter Stringer that necessitated a trip to the hospital for a scan on a thumb damaged in training, though O'Sullivan didn't seem unduly troubled. "He tweaked his thumb. It's a sprain but should be alright."
Reggie Corrigan has been asked to assume the role vacated by the injured Hayes, moving across from loosehead prop where he has won all his 20 caps to tighthead.
He had indicated to O'Sullivan that if the opportunity arose he would relish the prospect and has worked extensively with scrum coach Tony D'Arcy and Niall O'Donovan over the past few weeks. He has fulfilled the tighthead role before for Leinster, Greystones and when coming on against Fiji.
There is one other alteration to the pack with Alan Quinlan replacing his Shannon and Munster team-mate Anthony Foley with Victor Costello moving from blindside flanker to number eight.
Australia have been similarly shorn by injury as coach Eddie Jones announced a side brimful of youthful exuberance. Waratahs centre Morgan Turinui makes his debut while his midfield partner Steve Kefu, a brother of number eight, Toutai will start for the first time.
There was some concern that an abdominal muscle injury sustained by Turinui at training, could threaten his participation but a subsequent MRI scan revealed that the damage is minor. "It's a big challenge for both of them but they have mature heads and we're pretty excited about seeing them play," said Jones.
The absence of Ben Tune, Daniel Herbert, Steve Larkham and Matt Burke has provided the midfield duo with the opportunity to stake a World Cup claim.
On the latter theme O'Sullivan was keen that the result of Saturday's match would be inconsequential come October.
"It's coloured by the fact that both sides are missing a few front liners. It's a different time of the year. Australia are in the middle of their season, we're at the end of ours and the shoe was on the other foot last November when they came to Dublin.
"It'll be an interesting game but I don't think either side will read too much into it."
The Ireland replacements will be confirmed tomorrow, the delay involving getting a balance right on the bench and checking the possible introduction of a new law that would see two props having to be included among the replacements.
IRELAND: G Dempsey (Leinster); J Topping (Ulster), G Murphy (Leicester), K Maggs (Bath), J Kelly (Munster), D Humphreys (Ulster, capt), P Stringer (Munster); M Horan (Munster), S Byrne (Leinster), R Corrigan (Leinster), G Longwell (Ulster), M O'Kelly (Leinster), A Quinlan (Munster), K Gleeson (Leinster), V Costello (Leinster). Replacements to be confirmed.
AUSTRALIA: C Latham (Queensland); W Sailor (Queensland), M Tuirini (NSW), S Kefu (Queensland), J Roff (ACT); E Flatley (Queensland), G Gregan (ACT, capt); B Young (ACT), J Paul (ACT), P Noriega (NSW); D Giffin (ACT); N Sharpe (Queensland); D Lyons (NSW), T Kefu (Queensland), G Smith (ACT). Replacements: B Cannon (NSW), B Darwin (ACT), D Vickerman (ACT), P Waugh (NSW), C Whitaker (NSW), N Grey (NSW), L Tuquiri (NSW).
Referee: N Williams (Wales).
