Henshaw back for Ireland as two World Cup games are called off
Robbie Henshaw will make his first appearance of this year's Rugby World Cup when Ireland face Samoa this Saturday.
It will be the Athlone man's first outing in an Ireland jersey since the win over Wales in a World Cup warm-up game. Having recovered from a hamstring injury, Henshaw will be partnered in the centre by Bundee Aki, in what will be Ireland's final Pool A game.
With Jonathan Sexton and Conor Murray forming a familiar half-back partnership, Jack Carty is not included in the match-day squad on this occasion. Joey Carbery is named among the replacements after the out-half's late withdrawal against Russia.
The back three consists of Jordan Larmour at full-back with Keith Earls and Jacob Stockdale on the wings. Rory Best returns to captain the team and he is joined in the front row by Cian Healy and Tadhg Furlong.
Iain Henderson and James Ryan are again partnered in the second row, while the back row comprises CJ Stander at No. 8, Tadhg Beirne (blindside flanker) and Josh van der Flier at openside.
Meanwhile, the England v France and New Zealand v Italy games have been cancelled by Rugby World Cup organisers due to the risk from Typhoon Hagibis.
Sunday's crunch game between hosts Japan and Scotland remains in doubt - but Ireland's game against Samoa in Fukuoka on Saturday will go ahead.
With hosts Japan and Scotland still locked in battle for a place in the knockout stages, any decision to cancel their game in Yokohama will have a huge impact on the final placings. That decision will be taken on the day of the game.
Tournament rules state that any pool game that cannot be played is not rescheduled and instead is recorded as a 0-0 draw, giving each team two points, with no bonus points available.
Japan would go into the quarter-finals as top of Group A if their match is called off. Ireland would need any sort of victory against Samoa, or a bonus point in defeat, to join them, with Scotland then eliminated.
While England and France have already booked a spot in the quarter-finals, the decision to cancel Italy's match eliminates them from contention. A shock win over the All Blacks could have taken the Italians through. New Zealand now top the group, ahead of South Africa. Therefore if Ireland top Pool A, they will face the Springboks in the quarter-finals and if they finish second, it will set up a meeting with the All Blacks.
Typhoon Hagibis is heading north toward Japan's main island and could make landfall on Saturday, the Japan Meteorological Agency said. The fierce tropical storm, predicted to be one of the most violent to hit the region in recent years, is expected to strike the Tokyo area this weekend.
People have been warned to guard themselves against all the effects of the typhoon, including torrential rain, wind storms, storm surges and high waves.
With the cancellation of Saturday's game, England are confirmed as winners of Pool C and will play the runners-up in Pool D, which is likely to be Australia. France are set to face probable Pool D winners Wales.
This is the first time a Rugby World Cup match has been cancelled since the tournament started in 1987.
Ireland team v Samoa, 2019 Rugby World Cup Pool A
(Fukuoka Hakatanamori Stadium, Saturday October 12, 11.45am Irish time)
15. Jordan Larmour (St Mary’s College/Leinster) 19 caps
14. Keith Earls (Young Munster/Munster) 80 caps
13. Robbie Henshaw (Buccaneers/Leinster) 38 caps
12. Bundee Aki (Galwegians/Connacht) 22 caps
11. Jacob Stockdale (Lurgan/Ulster) 23 caps
10. Jonathan Sexton (St Marys College/Leinster) 86 caps
9. Conor Murray (Garryowen/Munster) 76 caps
1. Cian Healy (Clontarf/Leinster) 93 caps
2. Rory Best (Banbridge/Ulster) 122 caps CAPTAIN
3. Tadhg Furlong (Clontarf/Leinster) 39 caps
4. Iain Henderson (Queens University/Ulster) 51 caps
5. James Ryan (UCD/Leinster) 21 caps
6. Tadhg Beirne (Lansdowne/Munster) 11 caps
7. Josh van der Flier (UCD/Leinster) 21 caps
8. CJ Stander (Shannon/Munster) 36 caps
Replacements
16. Niall Scannell (Dolphin/Munster) 18 caps
17. Dave Kilcoyne (UL Bohemians/Munster) 34 caps
18. Andrew Porter (UCD/Leinster) 21 caps
19. Jean Kleyn (Munster) 4 caps
20. Peter O’Mahony (Cork Constitution/Munster) 62 caps
21. Luke McGrath (UCD/Leinster) 17 caps
22. Joey Carbery (Clontarf/Munster) 20 caps
23. Andrew Conway (Garryowen/Munster) 17 caps