Veteran flyhalf Johnny Sexton will make his first competitive appearance since March on Saturday after being picked to captain Ireland in their World Cup opener against Romania.
The 38-year-old playmaker has not played due to a groin injury he suffered during Ireland’s Six Nations Grand Slam sealing win over England.
He was also unable to play in any of their warm-up matches due to a ban for abusing the referee at the Champions Cup final which his province Leinster lost to La Rochelle.
“Hopefully I can go out and put up a good performance as I expect that of myself,” said Sexton. “There will be no excuses if I play below par.”
“Once I knew the ban was there I have just been focussed on this match for last couple of months.”
Sexton entering his fourth World Cup hangs up his boots on a stellar career at the end of Ireland’s campaign.
He is desperate to sign off with a flourish and at the very least being the first Irish captain to guide the team beyond the quarter-finals.
Head coach Andy Farrell has paired Sexton with his Leinster scrumhalf teammate Jamison Gibson-Park, but he sprang a few surprises elsewhere.
Veteran wing Keith Earls starts, but there is no place in the match-day 23 for Six Nations Grand Slam winger Mack Hansen.
Young Leinster lock Joe McCarthy gets his first World Cup start alongside province teammate James Ryan, the experienced Iain Henderson is on the bench.
Farrell, who has earned great plaudits for his stewardship of Ireland in the past four years following an initially rocky start, has also opted for youth on the bench as back-up for Sexton.
Munster’s Jack Crowley gets the nod ahead of Sexton’s more experienced Leinster teammate Ross Byrne.
Ireland – 15 Hugo Keenan, 14 Keith Earls, 13 Garry Ringrose, 12 Bundee Aki, 11 James Lowe, 10 Johnny Sexton, 9 Jamison Gibson-Park, 8 Caelan Doris, 7 Peter O’Mahony, 6 Tadhg Beirne, 5 James Ryan, 4 Joe McCarthy, 3 Tadhg Furlong, 2 Rob Herring, 1 Andrew Porter.
Subs: 16 Ronan Kelleher, 17 Jeremy Loughman, 18 Tom O’Toole, 19 Iain Henderson, 20 Josh van der Flier, 21 Conor Murray, 22 Jack Crowley, 23 Robbie Henshaw.
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Photo: ©INPHO/Billy Stickland