Geordan Murphy is named at full back with Tommy Bowe and Keith Earls completing the back three combination. Jonathan Sexton and Conor Murray start an international together for the first time as the half backs; it is Murray's first start at international level.
Ireland XV (v USA, 2011 Rugby World Cup Pool C, Stadium Taranaki, Sunday, September 11, kick-off 6pm local time/7am Irish time):
15 - Geordan Murphy (Leicester Tigers)
14 - Tommy Bowe (Ospreys)*
13 - Brian O'Driscoll (UCD/Leinster) Captain
12 - Gordon D'Arcy (Lansdowne/Leinster)
11 - Keith Earls (Young Munster/Munster)*
10 - Jonathan Sexton (St.Mary's College/Leinster)*
9 - Conor Murray (Garryowen/Munster)*
1 - Tom Court (Malone/Ulster)*
2 - Rory Best (Banbridge/Ulster)
3 - Mike Ross (Clontarf/Leinster)*
4 - Donncha O'Callaghan (Cork Constitution/Munster)
5 - Paul O'Connell (Young Munster/Munster)
6 - Stephen Ferris (Dungannon/Ulster)*
7 - Shane Jennings (St.Mary's College/Leinster)*
8 - Jamie Heaslip (Naas/Leinster)*
Replacements:
16 - Jerry Flannery (Shannon/Munster)
17 - Tony Buckley (Sale Sharks)*
18 - Donnacha Ryan (Shannon/Munster)*
19 - Denis Leamy (Cork Constitution/Munster)
20 - Eoin Reddan (Lansdowne/Leinster)
21 - Ronan O'Gara (Cork Constitution/Munster)
22 - Andrew Trimble (Ballymena/Ulster)
*Denotes Rugby World Cup debut
