Rugby-New-look Ireland face Romania test

By Toby Davis LONDON, Sept 27 (Reuters) - Hordes of green-clad Irish fans filed down Wembley Way on Sunday to see their side face Romania in a Rugby World Cup match that will give Ireland coach Joe Schmidt the chance to run the rule over the outer fringes of his squad. New Zealander Schmidt has made 12 changes from the side that swatted aside Canada 50-7 in their opening Pool D game, resting key contributors such as flyhalf Jonny Sexton and loose forward Peter O'Mahony. Only centre Jared Payne, stand-in captain Jamie Heaslip and winger Keith Earls have been retained in the side, while the likes of Ulster centre Darren Cave and towering lock Devin Toner have been handed an opportunity to shine. Schmidt will also have the chance to assess the fitness of prop Cian Healy. Healy missed all Ireland's warm-up games with a neck injury and returned to action for the first time since April as a replacement against Canada. "Cian is always an asset, whether he's in the starting team or off the bench," Schmidt said after naming his side. With more testing encounters against Italy and France to come, Ireland will be expected to deliver a comfortable victory under unseasonably hot and sunny skies at the traditional home of English soccer. Romania have had only four days to recover after their 38-11 defeat by France on Wednesday and have made eight changes. If there was a lesson to be learnt in Japan's 45-10 loss to Scotland, four days after their heroic victory over South Africa, it is that the smaller rugby nations struggle with quick turnarounds and lack the squad depth of the traditional powers. Romania made life difficult at times for France, showing physicality at the breakdown while their scrum competed with their more fancied opponents. Yet despite enjoying plenty of possession, they lacked a cutting edge to make it count. Fullback Catalin Fercu, however, showed he could be one to watch and has impressed Ireland scrumhalf Conor Murray. "He's well capable of countering, with their wingers as well. Both their nines are quite dangerous as well. If they get into broken play they really back themselves, especially after a line break or something like that," Murray said. (Editing by Ed Osmond)