Celtic rivals Ireland and Wales collide in the final game of the 2016 RBS 6 Nations’ opening weekend, as Joe Schmidt’s men look to get their title defence off to a winning start on home soil.
2016 RBS 6 NATIONS: Sunday, February 7
IRELAND v WALES, Aviva Stadium, 3pm (live RTÉ Two/ITV/RTÉ Radio 1/IRFU Live Blog)
Team News: Ireland head coach Joe Schmidt has named the team to take on Wales at the Aviva Stadium on Sunday, with Munster’s CJ Stander making his debut at blindside flanker.
Newly-appointed Ireland captain Rory Best will win his 90th cap in the RBS 6 Nations opener. He is joined in the front row by Jack McGrath and Championship debutant Nathan White.
The second row sees Leinster team-mates Devin Toner and Mike McCarthy paired together, with the 34-year-old McCarthy winning his first cap since the November 2014 win over Georgia.
Minus the hamstrung Sean O’Brien, the starting back row consists of the uncapped Stander on the blindside, his Munster colleague Tommy O’Donnell at openside and Jamie Heaslip at number 8.
Conor Murray and Jonathan Sexton feature at half-back, while Robbie Henshaw and Jared Payne are reunited in midfield for their second Six Nations campaign. Andrew Trimble and Keith Earls fill the wing berths with Simon Zebo lining out at full-back, in place of the injured Rob Kearney (hamstring).
The replacements bench features two possible Six Nations debutants in Tadhg Furlong and Kieran Marmion, and Sean Cronin, James Cronin, Donnacha Ryan, Rhys Ruddock, Ian Madigan and Dave Kearney complete the matchday 23.
Meanwhile, the Wales team to face the reigning RBS 6 Nations champions includes starts for Rob Evans, Tom James and Justin Tipuric.
Tipuric will start the game at openside flanker with captain Sam Warburton at blindside and Taulupe Faletau at number 8, completing an all-British & Irish Lions back row.
In the front row Evans starts at loosehead prop and will earn his fourth cap in his third match against Ireland. James, who last played for Wales in the autumn of 2010, will win his 10th cap on the left wing.
James will form a new-look back-three alongside Gareth Anscombe and George North. Anscombe, who made his international debut against Ireland last August, will make his first RBS 6 Nations start as he lines up at full-back.
Jonathan Davies returns to the side from injury for the first time since last year’s Six Nations. He is named alongside Jamie Roberts in midfield to reform Wales’ most-capped centre pairing.
Dan Biggar and Gareth Davies are the half-backs and they line up together for the fifth consecutive match. In the pack Evans is joined in the front row by Ospreys hooker Scott Baldwin and Scarlets prop Samson Lee. Luke Charteris and Alun Wyn Jones continue their partnership in the second row.
On the bench Ken Owens, Gethin Jenkins and Tomas Francis provide the front row cover, with Bradley Davies and Dan Lydiate rounding off the forward contingent. Davies will win his 50th cap if he takes to the pitch in Dublin. Lloyd Williams, Rhys Priestland and Alex Cuthbert provide the backline cover.
IRELAND: Simon Zebo (Cork Constitution/Munster); Andrew Trimble (Ballymena/Ulster), Jared Payne (Ulster), Robbie Henshaw (Buccaneers/Connacht), Keith Earls (Young Munster/Munster); Jonathan Sexton (St. Mary’s College/Leinster), Conor Murray (Garryowen/Munster); Jack McGrath (St. Mary’s College/Leinster), Rory Best (Banbridge/Ulster) (capt), Nathan White (Connacht), Mike McCarthy (Lansdowne/Leinster), Devin Toner (Lansdowne/Leinster), CJ Stander (Munster), Tommy O’Donnell (UL Bohemians/Munster), Jamie Heaslip (Dublin University/Leinster).
Replacements: Sean Cronin (St. Mary’s College/Leinster), James Cronin (Dolphin/Munster), Tadhg Furlong (Clontarf/Leinster), Donnacha Ryan (Shannon/Munster), Rhys Ruddock (St. Mary’s College/Leinster), Kieran Marmion (Corinthians/Connacht), Ian Madigan (Blackrock College/Leinster), Dave Kearney (Lansdowne/Leinster).
WALES: Gareth Anscombe (Cardiff Blues); George North (Northampton Saints), Jonathan Davies (Clermont Auvergne), Jamie Roberts (Harlequins), Tom James (Cardiff Blues); Dan Biggar (Ospreys), Gareth Davies (Scarlets); Rob Evans (Scarlets), Scott Baldwin (Ospreys), Samson Lee (Scarlets), Luke Charteris (Racing 92), Alun Wyn Jones (Ospreys), Sam Warburton (Cardiff Blues) (capt), Justin Tipuric (Ospreys), Taulupe Faletau (Newport Gwent Dragons).
Replacements: Ken Owens (Scarlets), Gethin Jenkins (Cardiff Blues), Tomas Francis (Exeter Chiefs), Bradley Davies (Wasps), Dan Lydiate (Ospreys), Lloyd Williams (Cardiff Blues), Rhys Priestland (Bath), Alex Cuthbert (Cardiff Blues).
Referee: Jérôme Garcès (France)
Assistant Referees: Glen Jackson, Ben O’Keeffe (both New Zealand)
Television Match Official: Graham Hughes (England)
Match Odds (Paddy Power): Ireland to win: 20/21; Draw: 16/1; Wales to win: 16/1
Pre-Match Quotes: Rory Best (Ireland) – “My philosophy as captain is to lead by example, speak when you need to. But at this level if you’ve to hold people’s hand you’re going to struggle.
“The Six Nations is an unbelievable competition and you need guys who are going to be able to coach themselves around the pitch. Every now and again, just a quiet word in an ear or to the collective makes sure everyone’s on the right course.
“Discipline is big for us. It’s something that we base a lot of our game on. Around the breakdown especially we’ve got to make sure we roll away. We’ve talked a lot about it – ‘tackler, get out’.
“Don’t make the tackle and stand up there, don’t make the tackle and lie there. We have to make the tackle, get out, and then it becomes a contest.
“We have some good guys over the ball and we feel we kind of know what (referee Jérôme Garcès) is looking for there and we hope to give him the good pictures.”
Justin Tipuric (Wales) – “Sam (Warburton) is a quality player and when you play with any player with that quality, you know what type of game they have so you just have to support them. We just have to make sure we work well as a back row and a pack.
“We know each other’s games a lot more now after five years together in the Wales squad. The more time you spend with someone, the more you get to know their game.
“It was a good performance by the boys (to beat Ireland 16-10 in Dublin in August’s World Cup warm-up game) and it was nice to be a part of that team. We came away with a good win, it’s a hard place to go and play and we learnt that in 2014 when they put us to the sword.
“We have to make sure that we put a good performance in. Ireland have a big, physical pack and they like to keep it tight and use their kicking game a lot.”
Pre-Match Links –
Ireland v Wales: Facts & Figures
In Pics: Ireland Training At Carton House
‘In Touch’ Digital Magazine Out Now
Recent Meetings –
2013: RBS 6 Nations: Wales 22 Ireland 30, Millennium Stadium
2014: RBS 6 Nations: Ireland 26 Wales 3, Aviva Stadium
2015: RBS 6 Nations: Wales 23 Ireland 16, Aviva Stadium; Rugby World Cup Warm-Up: Wales 21 Ireland 35, Millennium Stadium; Rugby World Cup Warm-Up: Ireland 10 Wales 16, Aviva Stadium
Support Ireland on www.irishrugby.ie/facebook or search #ShouldertoShoulder or #IREvWAL on www.twitter.com/irishrugby.
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