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Autumn Internationals | Autumn Internationals
Nov 24, 2013 at 2pm UK
 
Ireland
22-24
New Zealand
Murray (5'), Best (10'), Kearney (20')
FT

Triple injury boost for Ireland

Jonny Sexton, Brian O'Driscoll and Rob Kearney are fit for Ireland's Autumn International against New Zealand in Dublin on Sunday.

Ireland coach Joe Schmidt has announced that Jonny Sexton, Brian O'Driscoll and Rob Kearney are fit for Sunday's Autumn International against New Zealand.

Full-back Kearney will start for the same team alongside brother Dave, who has stepped in for Fergus McFadden.

Meanwhile, Gordon D'Arcy will replace Luke Marshall, and Eoin Reddan makes way for Conor Murray.

"All three (Sexton, O'Driscoll and Kearney) took full part in training and Rob trained well on Wednesday," Schmidt told reporters. "Really it was just a case of getting them all on the training pitch together, confirming they could run and kick fully and, therefore, play.

"If Johnny didn't take the pitch then Paddy Jackson would have started at 10.

"Gordon D'Arcy gives us the experience. Earlier in the week we weren't sure whether Johnny would make it, so it would have been important to have some experience around Paddy Jackson, and so that almost made that decision for us."

Ireland have never beaten the All Blacks in 27 previous matches.

FULL TEAM:

R. Kearney, Bowe, O'Driscoll, D'Arcy, D. Kearney, Sexton, Murray, Healy, Best, Ross, Toner, O'Connell, O'Mahony, O'Brien, Heaslip
Replacements: Cronin, McGrath, Fitzpatrick, McCarthy, McLaughlin, Boss, Madigan, Fitzgerald

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Ireland's centre Brian O'Driscoll is tackled by Samoa's centre Johnny Leota during the International rugby union test match between Ireland and Samoa on November 9, 2013
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