Ulster duo Robert Baloucoune and Cormac Izuchukwu will make their Guinness Six Nations debuts against Italy on Saturday at Aviva Stadium after Andy Farrell decided to ring the changes following a heavy opening-round defeat in France, including a debut for Munster lock Edwin Edogbo.
Baloucoune is one of three backline changes, the 28-year-old coming in on the right wing for Tommy O’Brien for his fifth cap and a first since November 2022.
His Ulster team-mate Jacob Stockdale has been replaced on the left wing by a returning James Lowe, while there is rotation at scrum-half for this second of three championship fixtures on consecutive weeks in a reformatted schedule with regular starter Jamison Gibson-Park making way for Craig Casey, at number nine.
Izuchukwu, 26, earns his third Ireland cap with a start at blindside flanker as Cian Prendergast drops out of the matchday 23, while Tadhg Beirne drops to the bench in a straight swap in the second row as James Ryan is promoted to partner James McCarthy.
Izuchukwu forms part of a rejigged back row with captain Caelan Doris switching to openside flanker at the expense of Josh van der Flier to allow Jack Conan to come off the bench for a start at No.8.
Edogbo, 23, gets his chance to take his October comeback from the second of two serious Achilles’ tendon injuries onto the international stage with a place on the bench alongside his Munster captain and lock/flanker Beirne with Ulster’s Nick Timoney retaining his place as a back-row replacement following a try-scoring contribution from the bench against France.
The Ireland boss made special mention of the debutant lock as he announced his squad to face the Italians on Thursday.
“In congratulating all of the 23 on their selection, I would like to single out Edwin on his first selection for the senior team,” Farrell said. “A product of the club game with Cobh Pirates and UCC, he has shown real quality in his performances for Munster and in training with us over recent times. We will aim to make it a special day for Edwin, his family and all those who have played a part in his journey to date.”
Loosehead prop Michael Milne is not so fortunate; his try at Stade de France on his Six Nations debut eight days ago was not enough to keep him in the Ireland 23, the Munster front-rower’s place going to Tom O’Toole, whose appearances for Ulster this season have all come at tighthead.
That berth on the bench goes to a fit-again Tadhg Furlong, with the potential to earn an 83rd Irish cap as he replaces Finlay Bealham.
Munster fly-half Jack Crowley backs up starting No.10 Sam Prendergast once more having filled in at full-back in Paris with Gibson-Park the other backline replacement.
Having revealed his hand, Farrell said: “Saturday provides us with a great opportunity in front of a packed home crowd at Aviva Stadium.
“We’ve had some great battles against Italy in recent years and Saturday will be no different. We know we have to reach a consistently high standard and that’s the exciting challenge that awaits us.
“There has been a positive reaction in training this week and we’ll aim to keep on building into the weekend.”
J Osborne; R Baloucoune, G Ringrose, S McCloskey, J Lowe; S Prendergast, C Casey; J Loughman, D Sheehan, T Clarkson; J McCarthy, J Ryan; C Izuchukwu, C Doris, J Conan.
R Kelleher, T O’Toole, T Furlong, E Edogbo, T Beirne, N Timoney, J Gibson-Park, J Crowley.
