Guinness Six Nations Grand Slam winners Ireland will get their Summer Nations Series campaign underway against Italy on Saturday.
The Azzurri will be eager to bounce back from a closely-fought 25-13 defeat against Scotland last weekend, but Andy Farrell’s side will want to get their preparation for the 2023 Rugby World Cup off to the best possible start.
Ireland beat Kieran Crowley’s team 34-20 when the two sides last met in the opening round of the Guinness Six Nations earlier this year.
So, let’s take a closer look at the two squads ahead of Satuday’s mouth-watering clash.
IRELAND
Jacob Stockdale is set to win his first Ireland cap in two years after being selected to start on the wing against Italy.
Stockdale has not featured for Ireland since their 39-31 triumph over the Cherry Blossoms in July 2021.
Leinster’s Jimmy O’Brien has been given the nod at full-back, with Keith Earls set to earn his 99th cap on the other wing.
Elsewhere in the backs, Jack Crowley has been selected at fly-half in place of the suspended Johnny Sexton, while his Munster teammate Craig Casey will start at nine.
Stuart McCloskey will partner Robbie Henshaw in the centres.
Iain Henderson will captain the side, and he is joined in the engine room by Joe McCarthy, who is making his first start.
Dave Kilcyone, Rob Herring and Tom O’Toole make up the front row, while in the back row, Caelan Doris and Ryan Baird will start either side of Jack Conan.
Ireland team to play Italy
15 O’Brien 14 Earls, 13 Henshaw, 12 McCloskey, 11 Stockdale, 10 Crowley, 9 Casey; 1 Kilcoyne, 2 Herring, 3 O’Toole, 4 Henderson (capt), 5 McCarthy, 6 Baird, 7 Doris, 8 Conan
Replacements: 16 Stewart, 17 Healy, 18 Furlong, 19 Beirne, 20 Prendergast, 21 Blade, 22 Frawley, 23 Nash
ITALY
Crowley has made nine changes from the side that fell to defeat against Scotland at Scottish Gas Murrayfield last time out.
Paolo Odogwu will make his Test debut out wide in place of Pierre Bruno, while Tommaso Allan will move to full-back, with Paolo Garbisi coming in at ten and Lorenzo Pani dropping to the bench.
Tommaso Menoncello moves to 12, with Ignacio Brex coming into the side at 13 and Monty Ioane retaining his place out wide.
Stephen Varney replaces Martin Page-Relo at scrum-half, while in the forwards, there is an all new front row featuring Danilo Fischetti, Giacomo Nicotera and Marco Riccioni.
Dino Lamb and Federico Ruzza link up in the engine room, while in the back row, Sebastian Negri and Manuel Zuliani start either side of Toa Halafihi.
Italy team to play Ireland
15 Allan, 14 Odogwu, 13 Brez, 12 Menoncello, 11 Ioane, 10 Garbisi, 9 Varney; 1 Fischetti, 2 Nicotera, 3 Riccioni, 4 Lamb, 5 Ruzza (capt), 6 Negri, 7 Zuliani, 8 Halafihi
Replacements: 16 Bigi, 17 Buonfiglio, 18 Ferrari, 19 Cannone, 20 Lamaro, 21 Cannone, 22 Fusco, 23 Pani
