Henshaw and Ringrose to resume partnership in Cardiff clash

The Ireland rugby team to face Wales in this weekend's Six Nations opener in Cardiff has been named.

Ireland will begin their Six Nations campaign against the Welsh at the Principality Stadium on Sunday (kick-off 3pm).

Athlone native Robbie Henshaw will start in the centre where he will be partnered by Garry Ringrose. It will be the first time for Henshaw and Ringrose to start a Test match together in midfield since the 2019 World Cup quarter-final.

Johnny Sexton will captain Andy Farrell's side as he competes in his twelfth Six Nations Championship.

Sexton and half-back partner Conor Murray were involved in Ireland’s last Six Nations victory in Cardiff (2013), as were Cian Healy, Peter O’Mahony and Keith Earls. In 2013, Ireland claimed a 30-22 win on Welsh soil against the eventual champions.

Healy, who makes his 50th Six Nations appearance, is joined in the front row by Rob Herring and Andrew Porter.

Hugo Keenan is selected at full-back while James Lowe will make his Six Nations debut on the left wing.

Wales are without the suspended Liam Williams, meaning Leigh Halfpenny is almost certain to start at full-back, while Josh Adams is absent as a result of breaching Covid-19 protocols.

Interestingly, Wayne Pivac's side played their 2020 autumn internationals in Llanelli when the Principality Stadium was being used as a field hospital to help cope with the coronavirus pandemic.

Ireland and Wales have three wins apiece and one draw in their last seven Six Nations meetings.

The Wales v Ireland game will be televised on Virgin and on the BBC.

Ireland team v Wales

(2021 Guinness 6 Nations Championship, Sunday, February 7)

15. Hugo Keenan (Leinster/UCD) 6 caps

14. Keith Earls (Munster/Young Munster) 88 caps

13. Garry Ringrose (Leinster/UCD) 30 caps

12. Robbie Henshaw (Leinster/Buccaneers) 47 caps

11. James Lowe (Leinster) 2 caps

10. Jonathan Sexton (Leinster/St Mary’s College) 95 caps (captain)

9. Conor Murray (Munster/Garryowen) 87 caps

1. Cian Healy (Leinster/Clontarf) 104 caps

2. Rob Herring (Ulster/Ballynahinch) 16 caps

3. Andrew Porter (Leinster/UCD) 32 caps

4. Tadhg Beirne (Munster/Lansdowne) 17 caps

5. James Ryan (Leinster/UCD) 32 caps

6. Peter O’Mahony (Munster/Cork Constitution) 73 caps

7. Josh van der Flier (Leinster/UCD) 28 caps

8. CJ Stander (Munster/Shannon) 46 caps

Replacements

16. Ronan Kelleher (Leinster/Lansdowne) 6 caps

17. Dave Kilcoyne (Munster/UL Bohemians) 39 caps

18. Tadhg Furlong (Leinster/Clontarf) 44 caps

19. Iain Henderson (Ulster/Academy) 58 caps

20. Will Connors (Leinster/UCD) 5 caps

21. Jamison Gibson Park (Leinster) 5 caps

22. Billy Burns (Ulster) 3 caps

23. Jordan Larmour (Leinster/St Mary’s College) 24 caps