The Ireland Coaching Team have named the Match Day Squad for Saturday's Guinness Six Nations clash against Italy at Stadio Olimpico in Rome (Kick-off 2.15pm). There are six changes to the starting XV from the team that played France in Round 2. James Ryan will captain the team and it will be the seventh occasion that he takes the captain's armband. He will be partnered in the second row by Iain Henderson, who makes his first start for Ireland since the final game of last year's Championship against Scotland. Ronan Kelleher is retained at hooker having come off the bench against France with Andrew Porter and Finlay Bealham either side of him in the front row. In the back row, Jack Conan comes in at number eight with Caelan Doris switching to the blindside flank and Josh van der Flier at openside. Craig Casey and Ross Byrne are set to make their first Six Nations starts and Bundee Aki is introduced to the midfield having started from the bench in the opening two rounds. Garry Ringrose is set to make his 50th appearance for Ireland while the back three of Hugo Keenan, James Lowe and Mack Hansen is unchanged from the opening two rounds. Dan Sheehan has returned to fitness to take his place among the replacements alongside Dave Kilcoyne, Tom O’Toole, Ryan Baird, Peter O’Mahony, Conor Murray, Jack Crowley and Stuart McCloskey. The match will be broadcast live on RTE and ITV television and on RTE and BBC NI radio.

IRELAND Team (v Italy, Guinness Six Nations Championship, Stadio Olimpico, Rome, Saturday 25^th February, 2023, KO 14.15 (IST)

15. Hugo Keenan (Leinster/UCD) 27 caps 14. Mack Hansen (Connacht/Corinthians) 11 caps 13. Garry Ringrose (Leinster/UCD) 49 caps 12. Bundee Aki (Connacht/Galwegians) 43 caps 11. James Lowe (Leinster) 17 caps 10. Ross Byrne (Leinster/UCD) 16 caps 9. Craig Casey (Munster/Shannon) 9 caps 1. Andrew Porter (Leinster/UCD) 50 caps 2. Ronan Kelleher (Leinster/Lansdowne) 19 caps 3. Finlay Bealham (Connacht/Buccaneers) 29 caps 4. Iain Henderson (Ulster/Academy) 70 caps 5. James Ryan (Leinster/UCD) 50 caps (c) 6. Caelan Doris (Leinster/St Mary’s College) 25 caps 7. Josh van der Flier (Leinster/UCD) 47 caps 8. Jack Conan (Leinster/Old Belvedere) 35 Replacements 16. Dan Sheehan (Leinster/Lansdowne) 14 caps 17. Dave Kilcoyne (Munster/UL Bohemians) 50 caps 18. Tom O’Toole (Ulster/Ballynahinch) 6 caps 19. Ryan Baird (Leinster/Dublin University) 8 caps 20. Peter O’Mahony (Munster/Cork Constitution) 91 caps 21. Conor Murray (Munster/Garryowen) 102 caps 22. Jack Crowley (Munster/Cork Constitution) 2 caps 23. Stuart McCloskey (Ulster/Bangor) 11 caps 2023 Guinness Six Nations Fixtures & Result Wales 10 IRELAND 34 Principality Stadium, Saturday 4^th February 2023 IRELAND 32 France 19 Aviva Stadium, Saturday 11^th February 2023 Italy v IRELAND Saturday 25^th February 2023, KO 14:15 (IST) RTE TV / ITV / RTE Radio / BBC Radio Scotland v IRELAND Sunday 12^th March 2023, KO 15:00 (IST) RTE TV / BBC / RTE Radio / BBC Radio IRELAND v England Saturday 18^th March 2023, KO 17:00 (IST) VIRGIN / ITV / RTE Radio / BBC Radio