Tadhg Furlong misses Ireland’s Six Nations opener against Wales.
The prop’s been suffering with a hamstring, ankle and calf complaints so Finlay Bealham starts at tighthead beside Andrew Porter and Dan Sheehan.
Tadhg Beirne and James Ryan are in the second row.
Peter O’Mahony, Josh van der Flier and Caelan Doris make up the back row.
Ulster’s Stuart McCloskey starts at inside centre and is partnered by Garry Ringrose.
There’s a back three of Hugo Keenan at full back and Mack Hansen and James Lowe on the wings.
Captain Johnny Sexton and Jamison Gibson-Park are in the half-back line.
Bundee Aki is among the replacements for the match in Cardiff on Saturday.
Our first line up of 2023! 🟢#TeamOfUs | #GuinnessSixNations
— Irish Rugby (@IrishRugby) February 2, 2023
IRELAND (v Wales, Guinness Six Nations Championship 2023, Principality Stadium, Cardiff, Saturday 4th February, 2023, KO 14.15)
15. Hugo Keenan (Leinster/UCD) 25 caps
14. Mack Hansen (Connacht) 8 caps
13. Garry Ringrose (Leinster/UCD) 47 caps
12. Stuart McCloskey (Ulster/Bangor) 9 caps
11. James Lowe (Leinster) 15 caps
10. Johnny Sexton (Leinster/St Mary’s College) 109 caps (c)
9. Jamison Gibson Park (Leinster) 23 caps
1. Andrew Porter (Leinster/UCD) 48 caps
2. Dan Sheehan (Leinster/Lansdowne) 13 caps
3. Finlay Bealham (Connacht/Buccaneers) 27 caps
4. Tadhg Beirne (Munster/Lansdowne) 36 caps
5. James Ryan (Leinster/UCD) 48 caps
6. Peter O’Mahony (Munster/Cork Constitution) 89 caps
7. Josh van der Flier (Leinster/UCD) 45 caps
8. Caelan Doris (Leinster/St Mary’s College) 23 caps
Replacements:
16. Rob Herring (Ulster/Ballynahinch) 31 caps
17. Cian Healy (Leinster/Clontarf) 121 caps
18. Tom O’Toole (Ulster/Ballynahinch) 4 caps
19. Iain Henderson (Ulster/Academy) 68 caps
20. Jack Conan (Leinster/Old Belvedere) 33 caps
21. Conor Murray (Munster/Garryowen) 100 caps
22. Ross Byrne (Leinster/UCD) 4 caps
23. Bundee Aki (Connacht/Galwegians) 41 caps
Fan of rugby? Listen to our weekly Rugby podcast below where this week we chat about Tullow’s J1 win over Carlow, Kilkenny’s loss to Bective and clash v Gorey, the Towns cup draw, Tullow ladies in action, youths and college’s rugby:
