England & Ireland name squads

Andy Farrell has named the match day squad to take on England at Twickenham this coming Saturday in round four of the 2022 Guinness Six Nations Championships.

Johnny Sexton returns to the starting XV and will captains the side from out-half. Jamison Gibson Park is named alongside him at halfback.

Bundee Aki is restored to the midfield to partner Garry Ringrose while Andrew Conway and Hugo Keenan come back into the backfield alongside James Lowe who is retained from the Italy game.

Cian Healy wins his 115^th cap in a front row that also includes Dan Sheehan and Tadhg Furlong.

Tadhg Beirne and James Ryan line out in the engine room while Peter O’Mahony, Josh van der Flier and Caelan Doris make up the backrow.

In the replacements, Rob Herring, Dave Kilcoyne, Finlay Bealham, Iain Henderson and Jack Conan cover the pack. Conor Murray, Joey Carbery and Robbie Henshaw are the backline replacements.

The game which kicks off at 4.45pm will be televised by RTE (ROI) and ITV (NI). Both sides require a victory to maintain their Championship ambitions

IRELAND Team & Replacements (v England, 2022 Guinness Six Nations, Twickenham, Saturday, March 12 27, kick-off 4.45pm):

15. Hugo Keenan (Leinster/UCD) 18 caps
14. Andrew Conway (Munster/Garryowen) 29 caps
13. Garry Ringrose (Leinster/UCD) 40 caps
12. Bundee Aki (Connacht/Galwegians) 35 caps
11. James Lowe (Leinster) 10 caps
10. Johnny Sexton (Leinster/St Mary’s College) 103 caps CAPTAIN
9. Jamison Gibson Park (Leinster) 15 caps
1. Cian Healy (Leinster/Clontarf) 114 caps
2. Dan Sheehan (Leinster/Lansdowne) 5 caps
3. Tadhg Furlong (Leinster/Clontarf) 55 caps
4. Tadhg Beirne (Munster/Lansdowne) 28 caps
5. James Ryan (Leinster/UCD) 42 caps
6. Peter O’Mahony (Munster/Cork Constitution) 82 caps
7. Josh van der Flier (Leinster/UCD) 38 caps
8. Caelan Doris (Leinster/St Mary’s College) 15 caps

Replacements
16. Rob Herring (Ulster/Ballynahinch) 24 caps
17. Dave Kilcoyne (Munster/UL Bohemians) 46 caps
18. Finlay Bealham (Connacht/Buccaneers) 21 caps
19. Iain Henderson (Ulster/Academy) 66 caps
20. Jack Conan (Leinster/Old Belvedere) 25 caps
21. Conor Murray (Munster/Garryowen) 94 caps
22. Joey Carbery (Munster/Clontarf) 30 caps
23. Robbie Henshaw (Leinster/Buccaneers) 55 caps

Meanwhile, England have also made changes.

Courtney Lawes will continue to captain the side at blind side flanker. Vice-captain Tom Curry, who has completed his return to play protocols, will join at open side flanker and Sam Simmonds will be No.8.

Ellis Genge, Kyle Sinckler and Jamie George make up the front row. Locks Maro Itoje and Charlie Ewels complete the tight five.

Harry Randall is at scrum half and Marcus Smith is fly half while Henry Slade (outside) and Joe Marchant (inside) feature at centre. Jack Nowell is at left wing, Max Malins is at right wing, and Freddie Steward at full back.

Alex Dombrandt has rejoined the squad following a period of isolation due to a positive COVID test and is named as finisher, alongside Joe Launchbury who is in line to make his first international appearance since England’s win over France in the Autumn Nations Cup final in December 2020.

Jamie Blamire, Joe Marler, Will Stuart, Ben Youngs, George Ford and Elliot Daly make up the finishers.

Jones said: “We’ve been looking at this game as a semi-final. Ireland are the most cohesive side in the world right now and it will be a good test this weekend.

“We’ve prepared really well for this game. We did some good team togetherness work in Bristol and had a solid week of training on the pitch here.

“We are looking forward to going after them in front of a great home crowd at Twickenham. It’s been special having 82,000 supporters back in for our Six Nations games and it will be a great Test match for them.”

ENGLAND XV

15. Freddie Steward

14. Max Malins

13. Joe Marchant

12. Henry Slade

11. Jack Nowell

10. Marcus Smith

9. Harry Randall

1. Ellis Genge

2. Jamie George

3. Kyle Sinckler

4. Maro Itoje