Updated: Sexton back as Hansen replaces Henshaw on bench - Ireland name team to face Romania
Ireland head coach Andy Farrell has named his squad to face Romania in Stade de Bordeaux on Saturday, 9 September.
There has been a change to Ireland head coach Andy Farrell's match-day 23 to face Romania at Stade de Bordeaux on Saturday, with winger Mack Hansen replacing Robbie Henshaw on the bench.
1 Andrew Porter
2 Rob Herring
3 Tadhg Furlong
4 Joe McCarthy
5 James Ryan
6 Tadhg Beirne
7 Peter O'Mahony
8 Caelan Doris
9 Jamison Gibson-Park
10 Johnny Sexton (c)
11 James Lowe
12 Bundee Aki
13 Garry Ringrose
14 Keith Earls
15 Hugo Keenan
Replacements:
16 Ronan Kelleher
17 Jeremy Loughman
18 Tom O'Toole
19 Iain Henderson
20 Josh van der Flier
21 Conor Murray
22 Jack Crowley
23 Mack Hansen
- Captain Johnny Sexton is set to make his first appearance for club or country since Ireland’s Six Nations Grand Slam-winning match against England after being named at fly-half; the Ireland captain is just 34 points away from surpassing Ronan O’Gara (1,083) as Ireland’s top points scorer in test rugby.
- Bundee Aki wins his 50th international cap for (48 for Ireland, two for the British and Irish Lions).
- Right-wing Keith Earls is one of three survivors from when Ireland last met Romania at RWC 2015. He holds Ireland's Rugby World Cup try-scoring record with eight.
- Only Tadgh Beirne, who moves to blindside flanker from the second row, and number eight Caelen Doris have kept their place from the starting XV for Ireland’s last game, against Samoa.
- World Rugby Men’s 15s Player of the Year 2022, Josh van der Flier, is on the bench.
- Dan Sheehan, Jack Conan and Dave Kilcoyne have all been ruled out as they recover from foot injuries in the case of Sheehan and Conan, and Kilcoyne tries to overcome a hamstring issue.