Republic of Ireland manager Giovanni Trapattoni has confirmed that Kevin Doyle will lead a side containing eight changes from the one that beat Cyprus in tomorrow night’s friendly international against South Africa at Thomond Park.

Trapattoni allowed five of his senior players, including regular skipper Robbie Keane, travel back to their clubs following Saturday’s victory over Cyprus.

Injury concerns over John O’Shea and Aiden McGeady led to them being sent back to their clubs today, with Crystal Palace centre back Paddy McCarthy expected to join up with the squad at their Tipperary base tonight.

O’Shea has a calf muscle injury and heads back to Manchester for treatment, while McGeady picked up a knock in training and will play no part in the game.

Trapattoni has picked Caleb Folan to join Doyle up front, with Liam Lawrence and Andy Keogh providing the wide options either side of Keith Andrews and Darron Gibson in midfield.

Keiren Westwood replaces Shay Given in goal and he will play behind a defence that sees three changes from last Saturday, with Seán St Ledger the only player remaining.

He will be partnered by Paul McShane in the centre, with Stephen Kelly and Eddie Nolan taking the full back berths.

Trapattoni has impressed upon those men who come in that they need to prove to him they have what it takes to do a job in the remaining qualifiers and beyond if called upon.

“When you go to a World Cup, you are going to have important players missing for big games.

“I hope we don’t, but sometimes you are missing important players, and it is important for a coach to have others, not necessarily with the same qualities, who can play in that position with experience and personality.

“Players like Eddie Nolan and Liam Lawrence, they can play with personality. I am looking for a team that does not have to change because players are missing — one time John O’Shea on the right, one time John O’Shea on the left.

“We need to be able to play without evening thinking about it because we all know the system, and that’s why we need to look at the players who can play in those positions.”

The manager’s critics have bemoaned the approach he has adopted, but he is making no apologies despite admitting his side were far from at their best in Cyprus.

He said: “We didn’t play well — I have seen the game again — but we were not too bad. But it was not easy. We recovered to get the result because of our mentality in the second half, and that’s a positive situation.

“When there was a negative situation, the team showed me they could react in the right way.”

Doyle admitted he was shocked to be asked to lead the side out, and while he knows his chance has come because more experienced candidates have returned to their clubs, he is not about to let that spoil his enjoyment.

He said: “I wasn’t even thinking about it — you don’t think about those things — but to be told, I was delighted.

“It never entered my head and that made it a bit of a shock at the time, but then you realise all the lads have pulled out.

“I have only been three or four years in the squad, but now I suppose I am one of the older lads, which is strange as well.

“I just phoned my parents and they were delighted. They didn’t expect me to be playing in the game, so for them to hear I was going to be made captain, they were delighted.

“Very few people get to captain their country. It’s a friendly game — to me, that doesn’t make any difference.

“I will remember it — you never know when I will get the chance again. There are five or six lads who have more caps than me and would have been ahead of me, so I will relish every second that I get to be captain.”

K Westwood; S Kelly, E Nolan, P McShane, S St Ledger, D Gibson, K Andrews, L Lawrence, A Keogh; C Folan, K Doyle (capt). Subs to be confirmed.

REPUBLIC OF IRELAND (v South Africa):