Australia vs Ireland: Joey Carbery starts ahead of Johnny Sexton as Irish make six changes to Grand Slam-winning side
British and Irish Lions fly-half Sexton is named among the replacements for the first of three Tests against the Wallabies
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Your support makes all the difference.Ireland have relegated Johnny Sexton to the bench in making six changes for Saturday's first Test against Australia at Brisbane's Suncorp Stadium.
Munster-bound Joey Carbery comes in for British and Irish Lions outside-half Sexton for Ireland's first game since beating England in March to win the Grand Slam.
Carbery has only started two of his previous 10 caps, against the United States and Fiji, but has the experienced Conor Murray as his half-back partner.
Peter O'Mahony takes over the captaincy from injured hooker Rory Best and is joined in the back row by Jordi Murphy at openside and CJ Stander at number eight.
Jack McGrath, Rob Herring and John Ryan form an inexperienced front row, with the Leinster trio Cian Healy, Sean Cronin and Tadhg Furlong kept on the bench.
Robbie Henshaw is reunited with Bundee Aki in the centre as Rob Kearney wins his 84th cap at full-back.
Ireland team to face Australia
Ireland: R Kearney (Leinster), K Earls (Munster), R Henshaw (Leinster), B Aki (Connacht), J Stockdale (Ulster), J Carbery (Leinster), C Murray (Munster), J McGrath (Leinster), R Herring (Ulster), J Ryan (Munster), J Ryan (Leinster), I Henderson (Ulster), P O'Mahony (Munster, capt), J Murphy (Leinster), CJ Stander (Munster). Replacements: S Cronin (Leinster), C Healy (Leinster), T Furlong (Leinster), Q Roux (Connacht), J Conan (Leinster), K Marmion (Connacht), J Sexton (Leinster), J Larmour (Leinster).
PA
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