Ireland lose Bundee Aki for all-important Durban decider against Springboks

Aki sustained a shoulder issue during last weekend's 27-20 loss in Pretoria but looked set to feature in the series finale after Andy Farrell's full 35-man squad trained on Wednesday.

However, he appears to have had a late setback and was not named in the matchday-23 for Saturday's all-important series decider at Kings Park.

Head coach Farrell has made four personnel changes in total, including dropping regular skipper Peter O'Mahony to the bench.

Tadhg Beirne switches from the second row to replace O'Mahony at blindside flanker, resulting in a recall for lock James Ryan, while Garry Ringrose, hooker Ronan Kelleher and scrumhalf Conor Murray come in for Aki and injured pair Dan Sheehan and Craig Casey.

With O'Mahony among the replacements, Leinster number eight Doris will lead Ireland for the second time, having first done so in their Six Nations win over Italy in February.

Ulster duo Rob Herring and Stuart McCloskey and Connacht scrumhalf Caolin Blade have been added to Farrell's bench.

Aki's absence is a big blow to Ireland. The New Zealand-born 34-year-old starred at last year's Rugby World Cup and had started every major game for his adopted country during the past 17 months.

Ringrose, who missed most of this year's triumphant Six Nations campaign through injury, comes in for his first Test start since Ireland's 28-24 World Cup quarter-final loss to New Zealand in October.

The 29-year-old will start at outside centre, with Leinster team-mate Robbie Henshaw switching to inside centre in place of Aki.

Ireland: 15 Jamie Osborne, 14 Calvin Nash, 13 Garry Ringrose, 12 Robbie Henshaw, 11 James Lowe, 10 Jack Crowley, 9 Conor Murray, 8 Caelan Doris (captain), 7 Josh van der Flier, 6 Tadhg Beirne, 5 James Ryan, 4 Joe McCarthy, 3 Tadhg Furlong, 2 Ronan Kelleher, 1 Andrew Porter.

Replacements: 16 Rob Herring, 17 Cian Healy, 18 Finlay Bealham, 19 Ryan Baird, 20 Peter O'Mahony, 21 Caolin Blade. 22 Ciaran Frawley, 23 Stuart McCloskey.

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