Schmidt set to give Byrne World Cup chance in Twickenham as big guns return to starting team
Leinster's Ross Byrne. Photo: Sportsfile
Ross Byrne could be handed a major opportunity to stake his World Cup claim by starting against England on Saturday.
The Leinster out-half is in line to wear the Ireland No 10 shirt for the first time at Twickenham as Joe Schmidt prepares to call on a host of his biggest names.
With Joey Carbery out injured, the coach has been forced to re-assess his selection strategy at out-half for the warm-ups. He now needs to give Byrne and Jack Carty as much experience as possible, while protecting his leading man Johnny Sexton.
Sexton sat out yesterday's training session at the team's warm-weather training base in Portugal after a heavy hit-out on Monday and is unlikely to be involved.
That means Carty and Byrne are battling it out for their first start and indications are the Leinster man will get the nod.
Guarantee
Assistant coach Richie Murphy admitted the management are leaning towards taking five half-backs as part of a 14-man back contingent to Japan, while he said there was no guarantee Carbery would travel given his lack of training.
Schmidt looks set to surround Byrne with experience, with captain Rory Best and fellow Lions Conor Murray, Peter O'Mahony, CJ Stander, Tadhg Furlong and Rob Kearney in line to make their first appearances of the season.
Jean Kleyn is on course to win his second cap after impressing against Italy, potentially repeating his partnership with Devin Toner behind a first-choice front row of Cian Healy, Best and Furlong who will be tasked with providing a stable platform for the backs to play off.
Out the back, Jordan Larmour appears likely to revert to right wing after Keith Earls sat out yesterday's session, with Kearney and Jacob Stockdale making up the back three.
