Dan Sheehan will captain the side for the first time
Ireland interim head coach Simon Easterby has named his team to take on Wales in Round 3 of the Six Nations at the Principality stadium in Cardiff this Saturday (2.15 pm KO).
There are seven changes to the team that had a bonus point win in Scotland two weeks ago with Dan Sheehan returning to the starting lineup to captain the side.
Ireland come into the Round 3 Six Nations match following wins over England and Scotland, and now travel to Cardiff to face a Wales side who have lost to France and Italy thus far.
James Lowe is the only survivor from Scotland in the back three, he’s joined by Jamie Osborne and the fit-again Mack Hansen who replace Hugo Keenan and Calvin Nash. In midfield, Garry Ringrose is in ahead of Bundee Aki and partners Leinster teammate Robbie Henshaw for the trip to Cardiff.
The half back pairing is another Leinster one as Sam Prendergast and Jamison Gibson-Park are retained.
In the pack, Andrew Porter, Sheehan and Thomas Clarkson, who starts for Ireland for the first time, are named in the front row, with Joe McCarthy returning to partner Tadhg Beirne in the second row.
Peter O’Mahony and Josh van der Flier are back in the back row while Jack Conan replaces the injured Caelan Doris to complete the Ireland team.
The forward replacements are Gus McCarthy, Jack Boyle, Finlay Bealham, James Ryan and Cian Prendergast with Conor Murray, Jack Crowley and Bundee Aki the backline reinforcements.
Leinster’s Jack Boyle is in line for his Ireland debut should he come off the bench. Gus McCarthy and Cian Prendergast could also make their Championship debuts in green having been named among the replacements.
Saturday’s match will be live on Virgin Media One and BBC One, while live radio commentary will be on RTÉ Radio 1.
Ireland squad
1. Andrew Porter (Leinster)
2. Dan Sheehan (Leinster)(captain)
3. Thomas Clarkson (Leinster)
4. Joe McCarthy (Leinster)
5. Tadhg Beirne (Munster)
6. Peter O’Mahony (Munster)
7. Josh van der Flier (Leinster)
8. Jack Conan (Leinster)
9. Jamison Gibson-Park (Leinster)
10. Sam Prendergast (Leinster)
11. James Lowe (Leinster)
12. Robbie Henshaw (Leinster)
13. Garry Ringrose (Leinster)
14. Mack Hansen (Connacht)
15. Jamie Osborne (Leinster)
Replacements:
16. Gus McCarthy (Leinster)
17. Jack Boyle (Leinster)
18. Finlay Bealham (Connacht)
19. James Ryan (Leinster)
20. Cian Prendergast (Connacht)
21. Conor Murray (Munster)
22. Jack Crowley (Munster)
23. Bundee Aki (Connacht)
Wales squad
Blair Murray; Tom Rogers, Max Llewellyn, Ben Thomas, Ellis Mee; Gareth Anscombe, Tomos Williams; Nicky Smith, Elliot Dee, WillGriff John, Will Rowlands, Dafydd Jenkins, Jac Morgan, Tommy Reffell, Taulupe Faletau.
Replacements: Evan Lloyd, Gareth Thomas, Henry Thomas, Teddy Williams, Aaron Wainwright, Rhodri Williams, Jarrod Evans, Joe Roberts.