IRELAND HEAD COACH Andy Farrell has named Connacht’s Mack Hansen for a starting debut on the left wing in Saturday’s Six Nations opener against Wales in Dublin [KO 2.15pm, RTÉ].
Bundee Aki and Garry Ringrose start in midfield as Robbie Henshaw misses out on the matchday 23, with Ulster’s James Hume included on the bench.
Australian native Hansen, who qualifies to play for Ireland through his Cork-born mother, has been superb for Connacht since joining from the Brumbies last summer.
Hansen trained with Ireland last autumn but will now win his first cap this weekend with James Lowe, who wore Ireland’s number 11 shirt in November, absent due to a hamstring injury.
23-year-old Hansen, whose preferred position is fullback and who can also play at out-half, has scored six tries in nine Connacht games so far this season and will look to bring his strong form into the Test game.
Meanwhile, Farrell has opted for Aki and Ringrose as his centre pairing for the Wales clash, with Hume included in the number 23 shirt as Henshaw misses out on selection.
Munster’s in-form Tadhg Beirne starts in the second row alongside James Ryan, who has recovered from a hamstring injury, but Iain Henderson has not returned from his ankle injury and Leinster’s Ryan Baird offers back-up from the bench.
In the front row, Farrell has gone for his high-impact combination of Andrew Porter, Rónan Kelleher, and Tadhg Furlong, while Cian Healy, Dan Sheehan, and Finlay Bealham are tasked with making an impact off the bench.
The back row of Caelan Doris, Josh van der Flier, and Jack Conan were impressive in November and start again this weekend, while Jamison Gibson-Park partners captain Johnny Sexton in the same halfback pairing that guided Ireland to victory over New Zealand in the autumn.
Hansen joins Andrew Conway and Hugo Keenan in the back three, while the bench sees Joey Carbery picked ahead of Jack Carty as back-up to Sexton.
Ireland (v Wales):
15. Hugo Keenan
14. Andrew Conway
13. Garry Ringrose
12. Bundee Aki
11. Mack Hansen
10. Johnny Sexton (captain)
9. Jamison Gibson-Park
1. Andrew Porter
2. Rónan Kelleher
3. Tadhg Furlong
4. Tadhg Beirne
5. James Ryan
6. Caelan Doris
7. Josh van der Flier
8. Jack Conan
Replacements:
16. Dan Sheehan
17. Cian Healy
18. Finlay Bealham
19. Ryan Baird
20. Peter O’Mahony
21. Conor Murray
22. Joey Carbery
23. James Hume
Referee: Jaco Peyper [SARU].
