Ireland Team Named To Face Wales In Guinness Six Nations Opener

Head Coach Andy Farrell has named the Ireland Match Day Squad to face Wales in the Principality Stadium on the opening weekend of the 2023 Guinness Six Nations Championship.

Johnny Sexton will captain the side and is partnered in the half-backs by Jamison Gibson-Park. The centre combination from the Bank of Ireland Nations Series of Stuart McCloskey and Garry Ringrose is retained, with Hugo Keenan at fullback and Mack Hansen and James Lowe on the wings.

In the front row Andrew Porter and Dan Sheehan are joined by Finlay Bealham, making a first Championship start, with Tadhg Beirne and James Ryan named at lock.

Josh van der Flier is named at openside, Peter O’Mahony, set to win his 90th cap, is on the blindside flank and Caelan Doris is in the number eight slot.

The replacements include Rob Herring, Cian Healy, Tom O’Toole, Iain Henderson, Jack Conan, Conor Murray, Ross Byrne and Bundee Aki.

The match will be broadcast live on Virgin Media and BBC television and on RTE and BBC NI radio.

IRELAND (v Wales, Guinness Six Nations Championship 2023, Principality Stadium, Cardiff, Saturday 4^th February, 2023, KO 14.15)

15. Hugo Keenan (Leinster/UCD) 25 caps
14. Mack Hansen (Connacht) 9 caps
13. Garry Ringrose (Leinster/UCD) 47 caps
12. Stuart McCloskey (Ulster/Bangor) 9 caps
11. James Lowe (Leinster) 15 caps
10. Johnny Sexton (Leinster/St Mary’s College) 109 caps (c)
9. Jamison Gibson Park (Leinster) 23 caps

1. Andrew Porter (Leinster/UCD) 48 caps
2. Dan Sheehan (Leinster/Lansdowne) 13 caps
3. Finlay Bealham (Connacht/Buccaneers) 27 caps
4. Tadhg Beirne (Munster/Lansdowne) 36 caps
5. James Ryan (Leinster/UCD) 48 caps
6. Peter O’Mahony (Munster/Cork Constitution) 89 caps
7. Josh van der Flier (Leinster/UCD) 45 caps
8. Caelan Doris (Leinster/St Mary’s College) 23 caps

Replacements:

16. Rob Herring (Ulster/Ballynahinch) 31 caps
17. Cian Healy (Leinster/Clontarf) 121 caps
18. Tom O’Toole (Ulster/Ballynahinch) 4 caps
19. Iain Henderson (Ulster/Academy) 68 caps
20. Jack Conan (Leinster/Old Belvedere) 33 caps
21. Conor Murray (Munster/Garryowen) 100 caps
22. Ross Byrne (Leinster/UCD) 14 caps
23. Bundee Aki (Connacht/Galwegians) 41 caps