Jacob Stockdale gets Ireland nod ahead of James Lowe for Six Nations opener against champions France in Paris
Ulster’s Stuart McCloskey and Jacob Stockdale will start for Ireland in Thursday evening’s Guinness Six Nations opener away to reigning champions France.
Stockdale has been preferred to James Lowe on the left wing, while Tommy O’Brien starts on the right. Jamie Osborne begins at full-back in the injury absence of Hugo Keenan.
With the suspended Bundee Aki and injured Robbie Henshaw unavailable, McCloskey starts at inside centre, with Garry Ringrose in the number 13 jersey.
Brothers Sam and Cian Prendergast will start together for Ireland for the first time.
Leinster fly-half Sam, 22, has been retained ahead of Jack Crowley and Harry Byrne, while Connacht captain Cian, 25, lines up at blindside flanker to make his championship debut.
Head coach Andy Farrell has been juggling a host of injury issues ahead of the visit to Stade de France.
With prop options severely depleted, Jeremy Loughman and Thomas Clarkson will start at loosehead and tighthead respectively, either side of hooker Dan Sheehan.
Joe McCarthy partners Tadhg Beirne in the second row, while captain Caelan Doris and openside flanker Josh van der Flier join Cian Prendergast in the back row.
Scrum-half Jamison Gibson-Park will partner Sam Prendergast.
Farrell has opted for a six-two split of forwards and backs on his bench, with Ronan Kelleher, Michael Milne, Finlay Bealham, James Ryan, Jack Conan and Nick Timoney joined by scrum-half Craig Casey and fly-half Crowley.
Ireland, who prepared for the tournament at a training camp in Portugal, are set to play at Stade de France for the first time since their 28-24 loss to New Zealand in the quarter-finals of the 2023 World Cup.
Farrell said: “I’ve been pleased with the application of the squad since we linked up last week and we’ve a good body of work under our belts from our training camp in Portugal as we face into an exciting Test match against France.
“The Six Nations is an amazing tournament to compete in and it brings out the best in players.
“We have played at the Stade de France many times and it’s a terrific stadium with an incredible atmosphere.
“We know from our experiences on the road how proud and vocal the travelling Irish support can be and it’s a huge motivator for the squad knowing that we have so many Irish supporters behind us.”
Ireland team: J Osborne (Leinster); T O’Brien (Leinster), G Ringrose (Leinster), S McCloskey (Ulster), J Stockdale (Ulster); S Prendergast (Leinster), J Gibson-Park (Leinster); J Loughman (Munster), D Sheehan (Leinster), T Clarkson (Leinster), J McCarthy (Leinster), T Beirne (Munster), C Prendergast (Connacht), J Van der Flier (Leinster), C Doris (Leinster, capt).
Replacements: R Kelleher (Leinster), M Milne (Munster), F Bealham (Connacht), J Ryan (Leinster), J Conan (Leinster), N Timoney (Ulster), C Casey (Munster), J Crowley (Munster).