The Ireland team to play England in the opening round of the Guinness Six Nations Championship at Aviva Stadium has been named.
Sean O’Brien is named in the forward replacements, his first time with the Ireland team since injuring himself against Argentina in the Autumn Internationals.
He takes his place on the bench alongside Sean Cronin, David Kilcoyne, Andrew Porter and Quinn Roux. John Cooney, Joey Carbery and Jordan Larmour.
Robbie Henshaw has been named at fullback for the first time since his debut against USA in on the Summer Tour in 2013. Keith Earls and Jacob Stockdale are named on the wings with Bundee Aki and Garry Ringrose forming the centre partnership.
Jonathan Sexton and Conor Murray are reunited in the halfbacks as Murray returns to the green jersey, having missed the Guinness Series in November through injury.
Up front Cian Healy and Tadhg Furlong pack down either side of captain Rory Best. James Ryan and Devin Toner are in the second row with Peter O’Mahony, Josh van der Flier and CJ Stander making up the back row.
Ireland Team
15. Robbie Henshaw (Buccaneers/Leinster)
14. Keith Earls (Young Munster/Munster)
13. Garry Ringrose (UCD/Leinster)
12. Bundee Aki (Galwegians/Connacht)
11. Jacob Stockdale (Ballynahinch/Ulster)
10. Jonathan Sexton (St. Mary’s College/Leinster)
9. Conor Murray (Garryowen/Munster)
1. Cian Healy (Clontarf/Leinster)
2. Rory Best (Banbridge/Ulster) 112 (c)
3. Tadhg Furlong (Clontarf/Leinster)
4. Devin Toner (Lansdowne/Leinster)
5. James Ryan (UCD/Leinster)
6. Peter O’Mahony (Cork Constitution/Munster)
7. Josh van der Flier (UCD/Leinster)
8. CJ Stander (Shannon/Munster)
Replacements
16. Sean Cronin (St. Mary’s College/Leinster)
17. David Kilcoyne (UL Bohemians/Munster)
18. Andrew Porter (UCD/Leinster)
19. Quinn Roux (Galwegians/Connacht)
20. Sean O’Brien (UCD/Leinster)
21. John Cooney (Terenure College/Ulster)
22. Joey Carbery (Clontarf/Munster)
23. Jordan Larmour (St. Mary’s College/Leinster)
2019 Guinness Six Nations Championship, Aviva Stadium, Saturday, February 2, kick-off 4:45pm
