Ireland change seven for their Italian job

Andy Farrell has made seven changes to his Ireland team to play Italy on Saturday in Rome in round three of the Guinness Six Nations following their February 14 13-15 home defeat to France in Dublin. Two alterations come in the backs with Jordan Larmour promoted from the bench to start in place of veteran Keith Earls who drops to the replacements, while fit-again skipper Johnny Sexton returns at out-half in place of Billy Burns.

In the pack, there is an entirely changed front row with Dave Kilcoyne, Ronan Kelleher and Tadhg Furlong taking over from Cian Healy, Rob Herring and Andrew Porter who will all provide bench back-up in Rome.

In the second row, fit-again James Ryan returns to partner Iain Henderson, who signed a contract extension on Wednesday, and Tadhg Beirne switches to blindside in place of the excluded Rhys Ruddock.

The other change comes at openside where Josh van der Flier loses out to Will Connors in a back row completed by CJ Stander. 

Two uncapped players are on the bench, Ryan Baird and Craig Casey who was an unused replacement against the French.

IRELAND (vs Italy, Saturday)

15. Hugo Keenan (Leinster/UCD) 8 caps

14. Jordan Larmour (Leinster/St Mary’s College) 26 caps

13. Garry Ringrose (Leinster/UCD) 32 caps

12. Robbie Henshaw (Leinster/Buccaneers) 49 caps

11. James Lowe (Leinster) 4 caps

10. Jonathan Sexton (Leinster/St Mary’s College) 96 caps CAPTAIN

9. Jamison Gibson Park (Leinster) 7 caps

1. Dave Kilcoyne (Munster/UL Bohemians) 40 caps

2. Ronan Kelleher (Leinster/Lansdowne) 8 caps

3. Tadhg Furlong (Leinster/Clontarf) 46 caps

4. Iain Henderson (Ulster/Academy) 60 caps

5. James Ryan (Leinster/UCD) 33 caps

6. Tadhg Beirne (Munster/Lansdowne) 19 caps

7. Will Connors (Leinster/UCD) 7 caps

8. CJ Stander (Munster/Shannon) 48 caps

Replacements

16. Rob Herring (Ulster/Ballynahinch) 18 caps

17. Cian Healy (Leinster/Clontarf) 106 caps

18. Andrew Porter (Leinster/UCD) 34 caps

19. Ryan Baird (Leinster/Dublin University) uncapped

20. Jack Conan (Leinster/Old Belvedere) 17 caps

21. Craig Casey (Munster/Shannon) uncapped

22. Billy Burns (Ulster) 5 caps

23. Keith Earls (Munster/Young Munster) 90 caps