Kilcoyne, Crowley, Casey and Earls start with Nash set for debut off the bench as Ireland name team for Italy

Earls is set to make his 99th appearance for Ireland and starts on the right wing in a back three which includes Jimmy O’Brien and Jacob Stockdale.

The Ireland team to face Italy in Saturday’s opening game of the Bank of Ireland Nations Series at Aviva Stadium (Kick-off 8pm) has been named.

There is a strong Munster representation throughout with Craig Casey, Jack Crowley, Keith Earls and Dave Kilcoyne all starting. Calvin Nash could make his international debut from the bench.

Casey will form a Munster half-back partnership with Crowley, with Stuart McCloskey lining up alongside Robbie Henshaw in midfield.

Earls is set to make his 99th appearance for Ireland and starts on the right wing in a back three which includes Jimmy O’Brien and Jacob Stockdale.

Iain Henderson will captain the side for the second time, having previously led the team against France in February 2021. The Ulster man will win his 73^rd Test cap in green, partnering Joe McCarthy in the Ireland second row.

Ryan Baird, Caelan Doris and Jack Conan form an all-Leinster backrow. The starting front row will be Kilcoyne alongside Ulster duo Rob Herring and Tom O’Toole.

Ciaran Frawley, Nash and Tom Stewart are in line for their Ireland debuts should they feature from the replacements, and they are named in a bench which includes props Cian Healy and Tadhg Furlong, flanker Cian Prendergast, lock Tadhg Beirne and scrum-half Caolin Blade.

Ticket sales for Saturday’s game have passed the 41,750 mark and are still available here, with children’s tickets available from €10.

Ireland (Province/Club/Caps):

15. Jimmy O’Brien (Leinster/Naas)(5)
14. Keith Earls (Munster/Young Munster)(98)
13. Robbie Henshaw (Leinster/Buccaneers)(63)
12. Stuart McCloskey (Ulster/Bangor (12)
11. Jacob Stockdale (Ulster/Lurgan)(35)
10. Jack Crowley (Munster/Cork Constitution)(3)
9. Craig Casey (Munster/Shannon)(10)

1. David Kilcoyne (Munster/UL Bohemian) (51)
2. Rob Herring (Ulster/Ballynahinch) (34)
3. Tom O’Toole (Ulster/Ballynahinch) (9)
4: Iain Henderson (Ulster/Academy)(72)(Captain)
5. Joe McCarthy (Leinster/Dublin University)(1)
6. Ryan Baird (Leinster/Dublin University)(11)
7. Caelan Doris (Leinster/St. Mary’s College)(28)
8.  Jack Conan (Leinster/Old Belvedere)(38)

Replacements:

16. Tom Stewart (Ulster/Ballynahinch)*
17. Cian Healy (Leinster/Clontarf) (123)
18. Tadhg Furlong (Leinster/Clontarf) (65)
19. Tadhg Beirne (Munster/Lansdowne) (38)
20. Cian Prendergast (Connacht/UCD) (1)
21. Caolin Blade (Connacht/Galwegians) (1)
22. Ciaran Frawley (Leinster/UCD)*
23. Calvin Nash (Munster/Young Munster)*

*Denotes Uncapped Player