Head Coach Andy Farrell has named his Ireland Match Day Squad to face Italy in Round 2 of the Guinness Men’s Six Nations at Aviva Stadium on Sunday afternoon (Kick-off 3pm).
Ireland opened their Championship with a bonus point win away in France last weekend, and return to a sold-out Aviva Stadium for their first home match of 2024 against the Azzurri.
Caelan Doris will captain Farrell’s side for the first time, becoming the 110th player to captain the Ireland Men’s team in Test rugby.
Farrell has selected an unchanged back three for the Round 2 clash as Hugo Keenan starts at full-back, while Calvin Nash and James Lowe continue on the wings. Robbie Henshaw is retained at outside centre, with Stuart McCloskey coming into the Ireland midfield at inside centre.
Having made his first Guinness Six Nations start last weekend in Marseille, Jack Crowley remains at out-half and is partnered by his Munster team-mate Craig Casey in the half-backs.
In the pack, Andrew Porter, Dan Sheehan and Finlay Bealham make up the front row, with James Ryan coming into the starting XV to partner Joe McCarthy – Player of the Match against France – in the second row.
Ryan Baird is named at blindside flanker, Doris shifts to openside and Jack Conan completes the starting team at number eight.
Farrell has strong options among his replacements with Ronan Kelleher, Jeremy Loughman, Tom O’Toole, Iain Henderson and Josh van der Flier providing the reinforcements in the pack, while Jamison Gibson-Park, Harry Byrne and Jordan Larmour are the backline replacements.
Sunday’s match is live on Virgin Media One in Republic of Ireland and ITV in the United Kingdom.
Ireland Team & Replacements (v Italy, Guinness Men’s Six Nations, Aviva Stadium, Sunday, February 11)
15. Hugo Keenan (UCD/Leinster)(37)
14. Calvin Nash (Young Munster/Munster) (2)
13. Robbie Henshaw (Buccaneers/Leinster)(68)
12. Stuart McCloskey (Bangor/Ulster)(15)
11. James Lowe (Leinster)(27)
10. Jack Crowley (Cork Constitution/Munster)(10)
9. Craig Casey (Shannon/Munster)(13)
1. Andrew Porter (UCD/Leinster)(60)
2. Dan Sheehan (Lansdowne/Leinster)(22)
3. Finlay Bealham (Buccaneers/Connacht)(37)
4. Joe McCarthy (Dublin University/Leinster)(6)
5. James Ryan (UCD/Leinster)(60)
6. Ryan Baird (Dublin University/Leinster)(16)
7. Caelan Doris (St Mary’s College/Leinster)(37)(captain)
8. Jack Conan (Old Belvedere/Leinster)(42)
Replacements:
16. Ronan Kelleher (Lansdowne/Leinster)(27)
17. Jeremy Loughman (Garryowen/Munster)(4)
18. Tom O’Toole (Ballynahinch/Ulster)(12)
19. Iain Henderson (Academy/Ulster)(79)
20. Josh van der Flier (UCD/Leinster)(58)
21. Jamison Gibson-Park (Leinster)(31)
22. Harry Byrne (UCD/Leinster)(2)
23. Jordan Larmour (St Mary’s College/Leinster)(30).
Images & Content from Irish Rugby & Images © Inpho Photography
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