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• Jamison Gibson-Park in starting XV for Ireland’s showdown with South Africa

  Scrum-half Jamison Gibson-Park has been recalled in the only change to Ireland’s starting XV for Saturday’s Rugby World Cup showdown with reigning champions South Africa in Paris.

  Gibson-Park, who sat out his side’s 59-16 win over Tonga, will resume his half-back partnership with captain Johnny Sexton at Stade de France, with Conor Murray dropping to the bench.

  Hooker Dan Sheehan is in line for his first appearance since suffering a foot injury in last month’s warm-up win over England after being named among the replacements.

  Ireland head coach Andy Farrell has stuck with a five-three split of forwards and backs on the bench for the standout fixture in Pool B, despite the Springboks opting for a bold seven-one selection.

  Prop Finlay Bealham is among those in reserve after satisfying head injury assessments following his early withdrawal last weekend.

  Centre Bundee Aki, the tournament’s leading try scorer with four after doubles against Romania and Tonga, will win his 50th Ireland cap, while flanker Peter O’Mahony will make his 100th Test appearance, including one for the British and Irish Lions.

  The world’s top-ranked nation have the chance to secure a quarter-final spot as they go in search of a 16th consecutive win, a run which includes a 19-16 Dublin success over South Africa in November.

  Hooker Ronan Kelleher and props Andrew Porter and Tadhg Furlong continue in an all-Leinster front row, ahead of locks Tadhg Beirne and James Ryan.

  O’Mahony is again joined in the back row by number eight Caelan Doris and reigning world player of the year Josh van der Flier.

  Garry Ringrose and the in-form Aki link up in midfield, with full-back Hugo Keenan in a familiar back three alongside wings Mack Hansen and James Lowe.

  Sheehan, Bealham and Murray are joined on the bench by Dave Kilcoyne, Iain Henderson, Ryan Baird, Jack Crowley and Robbie Henshaw.

  Rob Herring, Craig Casey and Ross Byrne drop out of the matchday 23.

  Ireland team: H Keenan (Leinster); M Hansen (Connacht), G Ringrose (Leinster), B Aki (Connacht), J Lowe (Leinster); J Sexton (Leinster, capt), J Gibson-Park (Leinster); A Porter (Leinster), R Kelleher (Leinster), T Furlong (Leinster), T Beirne (Munster), J Ryan (Leinster), P O’Mahony (Munster), J Van der Flier (Leinster), C Doris (Leinster).

  Replacements: D Sheehan (Leinster), D Kilcoyne (Munster), F Bealham (Connacht), I Henderson (Ulster), R Baird (Leinster), C Murray (Munster), J Crowley (Munster), R Henshaw (Leinster).

• Marcus Smith set for first England start at full-back against Chile in World Cup

  England are set to to accelerate their experiment of deploying Marcus Smith’s running skills at full-back in Saturday’s World Cup clash with Chile.

  Smith has filled the position as a second-half replacement in the last four Tests, adding an extra playmaker to the backline and providing a dynamic counter-attacking threat.

  The Harlequins fly-half is now poised to make his first start at 15 as Steve Borthwick takes the opportunity to rotate his squad against the weakest opposition of England’s group campaign.

  Owen Farrell has completed his four-match suspension for a dangerous tackle and is ready to make his first appearance since the illegal challenge against Wales on August 12.

  Farrell is set to be reinstated at fly-half and resume as captain when Borthwick names his team for the Lille showdown on Thursday evening.

  Additional changes will see hooker Theo Dan start and lock David Ribbans and flanker Jack Willis make their World Cup debuts as part of a revamped 23 that will enable many of England’s frontline stars to be rested.

  Willis has been competing for a spot in the ultra-competitive back row, but so far Courtney Lawes, Ben Earl, Tom Curry, Lewis Ludlam and Bill Vunipola have commanded all the game-time.

  Those overlooked for selection for the victories against Argentina and Japan have been forced to complete gruelling extra training sessions, but Willis insists there has been no sense of grievance among those waiting for their opportunity.

  “I don’t feel we’re a group that would let that happen, I honestly don’t. There’s no resentment towards the players that are playing,” Willis said.

  “We want the team to be successful. We want to get as far as we can in this tournament, no matter whether you’re starting, on the bench, travelling reserve or not involved; you want the best for the team.”

  Reflecting on his own position, the 26-year-old Toulouse flanker said: “We all know how competitive the back row is.

  “I don’t think anyone of us would feel aggrieved because of the quality in the back row. I think we all bring different strengths and qualities. Depending on the opposition that can change.

  “I’ve got to keep my head down and keep working hard, making sure I’m in the best shape physically I can be so that when that opportunity comes I can come out the blocks.”

  Making his first World Cup appearance will be the latest episode of a rollercoaster 12 months for Willis, who was forced to leave Wasps when they entered administration and then join Toulouse.

  He now has a Top 14 title winners medal to his name and is ready to realise a boyhood dream.

  “If and when that chance comes you end up reflecting a little bit, thinking back to the little lad who was watching World Cup matches with his dad and his brother in the front lounge and trying to realise how special it is to be pulling on that shirt and running out at a World Cup.

  “Steve Borthwick did say when the squad was named that it was in the low hundreds of how many people had pulled on a World Cup jersey for England.

  “Sometimes you don’t think about that, how few people get the opportunity to do it and how special it is. Just be grateful of every moment and try and maximise it.”

• Simon Easterby admits Ireland may need to win ‘ugly’ in South Africa clash

  Ireland must be adaptable and prepared to grind out an “ugly” win against reigning world champions South Africa, according to defence coach Simon Easterby.

  Andy Farrell’s men head to Paris for the standout fixture in Pool B seeking to secure a spot in the Rugby World Cup quarter-finals with a fixture to spare.

  Ireland have won 27 of their last 29 Tests after beginning the tournament with thumping bonus-point victories over Romania and Tonga and have often entertained during that remarkable run of results.

  The world’s top-ranked nation will once again look to deliver their easy-on-the-eye style on Saturday evening at Stade de France.

  Yet Easterby accepts that may not be possible for the full 80 minutes against a physical Springboks side sporting an intimidating seven-one split of forwards and backs among their replacements.

  “We know that when we play well and we play a certain way that we’re going to be difficult to play against and difficult to beat,” he said.

  “We’ll be looking to implement a lot of the stuff that you’ll have seen over the last couple of years in what we do on Saturday as we have tried to do in the Tonga and Romania games.

  “We haven’t had to win ugly maybe too many times.

  “It would be great if we could throw the ball around and score plenty of tries, but we know that we have to do things in the moment and make sure we’re adaptable and that might mean playing certain ways in certain parts of the game.”

  Springboks head coach Jacques Nienaber made a statement of intent on Tuesday afternoon when announcing a stacked bench containing just one back, scrum-half Cobus Reinach.

  Easterby admits the bold selection is a talking point, but does not change Ireland’s approach.

  “Every team has a particular strategy and it’s up to them to believe that that strategy is the right thing for each game,” he said.

  “Obviously, they believe that’s the way they need to set themselves to beat us on Saturday, just like we’ll be playing the way we want to beat South Africa.

  “Listen, it’s a talking point. I don’t think it changes anything for us, to be honest.

  “What will determine it in the end is hindsight, which will allow everyone to say it was the right or wrong thing to do. It’s their strategy and not something that we can control.”

  Every member of Ireland’s 33-man squad has trained this week at their base in Tours.

  Hooker Dan Sheehan (foot) and prop Finlay Bealham (head injury assessment) are in contention to feature against the Springboks.

  But number eight Jack Conan (foot) may have to wait until the Scotland game on October 7 for his first outing since August 5.

  “Everyone trained really well today,” said Easterby. “Probably Jack’s the only one that’s slightly behind in terms of being able to get himself right for this weekend.

  “He’s done incredibly well, as have the medics, conditioners to get him up to speed.

  “He’s actually probably on track from where we thought he’d be, so he’s done really well, happy with his progress.

  “Finlay and Dan both trained really well today, so they’re back in the mix.”