IRELAND INTERIM HEAD coach Simon Easterby has named Dan Sheehan as his captain for Saturday’s Six Nations clash with Wales in Cardiff [KO 2.15pm].
Sheehan comes into the starting XV as one of seven changes for the round three game at the Principality Stadium.
Jamie Osborne starts at fullback, Garry Ringrose is picked at outside centre, Mack Hansen returns on the right wing, Joe McCarthy comes into the second row, Sheehan replaces the injured Rónan Kelleher at hooker, and Jack Conan swaps into the side in place of regular skipper Caelan Doris, who is also injured.
Thomas Clarkson will make his first Ireland start at tighthead prop and 22-year-old Leinster loosehead prop Jack Boyle is set for his debut off the bench.
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This will be Sheehan’s first time captaining his country and he has only done the job twice for Leinster but it is a sign of his standing in the national squad. The 26-year-old recently returned to action from a long-term knee injury and has impressed off the bench in the opening two rounds of the championship.
21-year-old Gus McCarthy comes on the Irish bench for this weekend as back-up to Sheehan, while Connacht captain Cian Prendergast is set for his first appearance of this Six Nations after being named among the replacements.
Osborne makes up the Irish back three with left wing James Lowe and the returning Hansen, who is back from the hamstring injury that kept him out of the Scotland clash and replaces Calvin Nash in the starting side.
Ringrose swaps into the midfield instead of Bundee Aki, who is on the bench, with Robbie Henshaw moving to inside centre.
Jamison Gibson-Park and Sam Prendergast continue as the halfback pairing, with Easterby resisting any temptation to bring Jack Crowley in for a start at number 10.
Andrew Porter retains the number one shirt as Sheehan comes in at hooker and Leinster tighthead Thomas Clarkson is named for his first start on the occasion of his fifth cap.
James Ryan moves to the bench as McCarthy returns from concussion for his first appearance of this championship in the second row, with Tadhg Beirne continuing alongside McCarthy in the engine room.
Peter O’Mahony and Josh van der Flier make up the back row with Conan, who has impacted strongly off the bench in the opening two games.
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Sheehan named captain as Ireland make seven changes for Wales clash
IRELAND INTERIM HEAD coach Simon Easterby has named Dan Sheehan as his captain for Saturday’s Six Nations clash with Wales in Cardiff [KO 2.15pm].
Sheehan comes into the starting XV as one of seven changes for the round three game at the Principality Stadium.
Jamie Osborne starts at fullback, Garry Ringrose is picked at outside centre, Mack Hansen returns on the right wing, Joe McCarthy comes into the second row, Sheehan replaces the injured Rónan Kelleher at hooker, and Jack Conan swaps into the side in place of regular skipper Caelan Doris, who is also injured.
Thomas Clarkson will make his first Ireland start at tighthead prop and 22-year-old Leinster loosehead prop Jack Boyle is set for his debut off the bench.
This will be Sheehan’s first time captaining his country and he has only done the job twice for Leinster but it is a sign of his standing in the national squad. The 26-year-old recently returned to action from a long-term knee injury and has impressed off the bench in the opening two rounds of the championship.
21-year-old Gus McCarthy comes on the Irish bench for this weekend as back-up to Sheehan, while Connacht captain Cian Prendergast is set for his first appearance of this Six Nations after being named among the replacements.
Osborne makes up the Irish back three with left wing James Lowe and the returning Hansen, who is back from the hamstring injury that kept him out of the Scotland clash and replaces Calvin Nash in the starting side.
Ringrose swaps into the midfield instead of Bundee Aki, who is on the bench, with Robbie Henshaw moving to inside centre.
Jamison Gibson-Park and Sam Prendergast continue as the halfback pairing, with Easterby resisting any temptation to bring Jack Crowley in for a start at number 10.
Andrew Porter retains the number one shirt as Sheehan comes in at hooker and Leinster tighthead Thomas Clarkson is named for his first start on the occasion of his fifth cap.
James Ryan moves to the bench as McCarthy returns from concussion for his first appearance of this championship in the second row, with Tadhg Beirne continuing alongside McCarthy in the engine room.
Peter O’Mahony and Josh van der Flier make up the back row with Conan, who has impacted strongly off the bench in the opening two games.
Ireland (v Wales):
15. Jamie Osborne
14. Mack Hansen
13. Garry Ringrose
12. Robbie Henshaw
11. James Lowe
10. Sam Prendergast
9. Jamison Gibson-Park
1. Andrew Porter
2. Dan Sheehan (captain)
3. Thomas Clarkson
4. Joe McCarthy
5. Tadhg Beirne
6. Peter O’Mahony
7. Josh van der Flier
8. Jack Conan
Replacements:
16. Gus McCarthy
17. Jack Boyle
18. Finlay Bealham
19. James Ryan
20. Cian Prendergast
21. Conor Murray
22. Jack Crowley
23. Bundee Aki
Referee: Christophe Ridley [England].
- This article was updated at 10.36am to remove a repeat of ‘head coach’ in the opening sentence.
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