Australia-born prop Tom Court is set to complete a remarkable rise to international rugby after being named in the Ireland side to play Fiji on Saturday.

Court, an unused replacement during Six Nations champions' Ireland's 20-20 draw with Australia last weekend, was one of eight changes to a side where gifted fly-half Jonathan Sexton is also in line for a Test debut.

Ulster forward Court's elevation to Test level is astonishing considering he didn't start playing rugby union until five years ago at the age of 24.

The Queenslander was an Australian Universities shot putt champion but switched to rugby after doctors warned the diet he was pursuing to compete in the field event risked killing him.

Court went on to play in the same Brisbane University rugby union side as current Wallabies trio Drew Mitchell, James Horwill and Stephen Moore.

He then had a brief stint with the Queensland Reds but could not nail down a spot in the Super 14 side.

In reponse, the now 29-year-old Court moved to Ireland where his mother and grandparents were all born.

Sexton was one of the stars of the Leinster side that won last season's European Cup and having been dubbed as the heir to Ronan O'Gara, he replaces the stand-off for the match with Fiji - the first Test ever to be staged at the Royal Dublin Society showground.

In all Ireland coach Declan Kidney has made five changes to the backline and three to the forward pack that opened the Six Nations grand slam champions' November campaign against the Wallabies.

Keith Earls, who replaced the injured Luke Fitzgerald against Australia, retains his spot on the left wing with the experienced Shane Horgan coming in on the right wing for Tommy Bowe.

Gordon D'Arcy moves into the centre and there is a new half-back partnership with Sexton alongside scrum-half Eoin Reddan.

Court starts the game at loosehead prop and Leo Cullen comes into the side to partner Paul O'Connell in the second row.

In the back-row, Denis Leamy replaces David Wallace in an Ireland side up against a Fiji team beaten 23-10 by Scotland at Murrayfield last weekend.

O'Gara is not even on the bench ahead of Ireland's clash against world champions South Africa on November 28.

But star centre and captain Brian O'Driscoll, who marked his 100th Test by scoring the last-ditch try that secured the draw with the Wallabies, has been retained by Kidney.

"We talked about building a squad and that's what we're trying to do," Kidney said. "A lot of the guys getting a go in this team have not played for Ireland for some time.

"You have to show belief in your squad and that's what we've done with the team we've selected."

Ireland team to play Fiji in a one-off international at the Royal Dublin Showground here on Saturday (1715GMT):

(15-1)

Rob Kearney; Shane Horgan, Brian O'Driscoll (capt), Gordon D'Arcy, Keith Earls; Jonathan Sexton, Eoin Reddan; Jamie Heaslip, Denis Leamy, Stephen Ferris; Paul O'Connell, Leo Cullen; John Hayes, Jerry Flannery, Tom Court

Replacements: Sean Cronin, Tony Buckley, Donncha O'Callaghan, Sean O'Brien, Tomas O'Leary, Paddy Wallace, Andrew Trimble.

AFP

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