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Farrell bloods Loughman at prop for Fiji Test / Photo: MICHAEL BRADLEY - AFP
Farrell bloods Loughman at prop for Fiji Test
Jeremy Loughman will win his first Ireland cap on Saturday as one of several changes to the starting line-up for the Test with Fiji from the one that beat world champions South Africa last weekend.
Loughman, 27, comes in for Andrew Porter, who is rested, in a side that is to be captained for the first time by his fellow prop Tadgh Furlong.
Furlong is not the first prop to captain Ireland, the last one to do so was Simon Best against Argentina in 2007.
The 29-year-old 61-times capped Furlong deputises for Irish talisman Johnny Sexton, who is also rested ahead of Ireland's final Test of the year against Australia on Saturday week.
Head coach Andy Farrell -- whose side are bidding for an 11th successive home Test win -- has named Sexton's long-time deputy Joey Carbery at fly-half.
He will be partnered by Ireland's first choice scrum-half Jamison Gibson-Park, who impressed against the Springboks when he came on at the end of the first-half despite it being his first competitive rugby since July.
Exciting young Ulster wing Robert Baloucoune gets his second successive start as does his province team-mate Stuart McCloskey.
McCloskey will hope to be out on the pitch for longer than last week when the centre had to go off with an arm injury in the first-half.
Jimmy O'Brien came on for McCloskey for his debut and performed well enough for him to be given a start this Saturday -- though he moves to full-back as Hugo Keenan is rested.
Australia-born wing Mack Hansen, who scored one of Ireland's two tries against South Africa, also starts.
Farrell gives centre Robbie Henshaw a run out after the British & Irish Lions star had to withdraw from the Springbok match due to a hamstring issue.
Aside from Loughman, fly-half Jack Crowley and lock Cian Prendergast could also win their first caps off the replacements bench.
Fiji began their northern hemisphere tour with a creditable 28-12 defeat by Scotland last Saturday.
Team (15-1):
Jimmy O'Brien; Robert Baloucoune, Robbie Henshaw, Stuart McCloskey, Mack Hansen; Joey Carbery, Jamison Gibson-Park; Jack Conan, Nick Timoney, Caelan Doris; Tadhg Beirne, Kieran Treadwell; Tadhg Furlong (capt), Rob Herring, Jeremy Loughman
Replacements: Dan Sheehan, Cian Healy, Tom O'Toole, Cian Prendergast, Max Deegan, Craig Casey, Jack Crowley, Garry Ringrose
Coach: Andy Farrell (ENG)
(L.Kaufmann--BBZ)
