🏉 Exciting news from the Ireland camp as they gear up for the big Six Nations clash against Wales in Dublin this Friday night! Head coach Andy Farrell is mixing things up with five changes to the squad, including a first Six Nations start for Nick Timoney and a potential debut for Nathan Doak coming off the bench.
Star player Bundee Aki won’t feature this time around, as the team aims to keep the momentum going following their win over England. In the backline, Jacob Stockdale steps in for the injured James Lowe on the left wing. Jamie Osborne holds the fort at full-back, with Robert Baloucoune on the opposite wing, while Garry Ringrose teams up with Stuart McCloskey in the centre. The ever-reliable Jack Crowley and Jamison Gibson-Park remain as the half-back pair.
Up front, Tom O’Toole and Ronan Kelleher join forces with Tadhg Furlong in the starting front row, with Tadhg Beirne moving to the second row alongside James Ryan. Jack Conan and Timoney advance to the starting XV in the back row, joining captain Caelan Doris.
A shoutout to Jamison Gibson-Park on reaching the remarkable 50-cap milestone, joining an elite club of Irish internationals. With a packed Aviva Stadium waiting in anticipation, both Nathan Doak and Jamison are set to make memorable appearances.
Here’s the Ireland line-up:
Full-back: Jamie Osborne
Wings: Robert Baloucoune, Jacob Stockdale
Centres: Garry Ringrose, Stuart McCloskey
Half-backs: Jack Crowley, Jamison Gibson-Park
Front Row: Tom O’Toole, Ronan Kelleher, Tadhg Furlong
Second Row: James Ryan, Tadhg Beirne
Back Row: Jack Conan, Nick Timoney, Caelan Doris (captain)
Replacements include: Tom Stewart, Michael Milne, Thomas Clarkson, Joe McCarthy, Josh van der Flier, Nathan Doak, Tom Farrell, and Ciaran Frawley.
Stay tuned for the showdown, kicking off at 8:10 PM. It’s set to be an electrifying night of rugby! 🏆🍀 #SixNations #IrelandRugby #DebutDay