The former Ireland number six knows the threat Ireland face at the lineout from England
Ireland v England: Simon Easterby puts his stamp on side with Ryan Baird selectionAlthough the 25-year-old has 25 caps, only six of them have been from the start, and of these just three have been in the Six Nations. Baird was outstanding in the secondrow in the Grand Slam coronation against England two seasons ago, when it looked like his time had come, yet his only other two Six Nations starts were against Italy, in 2002, and last year.
“There are a lot of competitive positions in the team, but six and backrow obviously being one of those we’ve left a couple of very good players out of the squad to pick Ryan and he’s aware of that. Ireland interim head coach Simon Easterby talks to Garry Ringrose during the Ireland training camp in Quinta do Lago, Portugal. Photograph: Ben Brady/Inphowould be among the replacements, but in an unfortunate development it transpires that the lock suffered a head knock in training on Wednesday.
Thomas Clarkson, who won his first two caps off the bench against Argentina and Fiji last November, is back on the bench again, as is Jack Conan, who missed both the summer tour and Autumn Series due to injuries. Conor Murray is also restored on the bench alongside Jack Crowley in a conventional 5-3 split.
Easterby said: They are going to play a lot of rugby and compete for a long time, I think. This decision has gone Sam’s way. We felt like he did really well in November. He got a taste for international rugby. He went away and played really well for Leinster in a good period for them, but he was a big part of the successes across the December window and into the new year.
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