Ireland v England, Six Nations, Lansdowne Road, March 19
Sexton beats O'Gara to Ireland start
ESPNscrum Staff
March 16, 2011
Ireland's Jonathan Sexton lines up a kick, England v Ireland, Six Nations Championship, Twickenham, England, February 27, 2010
Jonathan Sexton starts for Ireland © PA Photos
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Players/Officials: Ronan O'Gara | Johnny Sexton
Tournaments/Tours: Six Nations
Teams: England | Ireland

Jonathan Sexton has been given the nod at fly-half for Ireland's final Six Nations clash against Grand Slam-chasing England on Saturday.

The Leinster youngster endured a mixed showing against Wales last weekend but has beaten Ronan O'Gara to the No.10 jersey in a backline showing one further change and a positional switch from the controversial Cardiff defeat.

Keith Earls moves to fullback in place of Luke Fitzgerald, who misses out on the 22 altogether, while Ulster wing Andrew Trimble is recalled out wide as a result.

"If Luke has made any errors they're probably because he's trying too hard and he's been overstretching himself," Ireland coach Declan Kidney said. "Andrew has been knocking at the door for quite some time and has done well. Andrew was showing great form going into the Six Nations."

Leinster scrum-half Eoin Reddan has been named in the starting line-up despite suffering a concussion in the opening seconds last weekend, with Peter Stringer on the bench. Munster's Tomas O'Leary has been ruled out with an eye injury.

Ireland: K Earls (Munster); T Bowe (Ospreys), B O'Driscoll (Leinster, capt), G D'Arcy (Leinster), A Trimble (Ulster); J Sexton (Leinster), E Reddan (Leinster); C Healy (Leinster), R Best (Ulster), M Ross (Leinster), D O'Callaghan (Munster), P O'Connell (Munster), S O'Brien (Leinster), D Wallace (Munster), J Heaslip (Leinster).

Replacements: S Cronin (Connacht), T Court (Ulster), L Cullen (Leinster), D Leamy (Munster), P Stringer (Munster), R O'Gara (Munster), P Wallace (Ulster)

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