CAELAN DORIS WILL captain Ireland for the first time when Ireland welcome Italy to Aviva Stadium on Sunday [KO 3pm, Virgin Media].

The Leinster backrow captains the side in place of Peter O’Mahony, who misses out on the matchday 23 for Ireland’s first home game of the 2024 Six Nations. 

Ireland host Italy after opening their campaign with a stunning 38-17 defeat of France, and head coach Andy Farrell has made six changes from the team that started last Friday’s record win in Marseille. 

Stuart McCloskey, Craig Casey, Finlay Bealham, James Ryan, Ryan Baird and Jack Conan all come into the starting 15.

IRELAND (v Italy):

• 15. Hugo Keenan
• 14. Calvin Nash
• 13. Robbie Henshaw 
• 12. Stuart McCloskey
• 11. James Lowe 
• 10. Jack Crowley 
• 9. Craig Casey

• 1. Andrew Porter
• 2. Dan Sheehan 
• 3. Finlay Bealham 
• 4. Joe McCarthy 
• 5. James Ryan 
• 6. Ryan Baird 
• 7. Caelan Doris (captain)
• 8. Jack Conan

• 16. Ronan Kelleher
• 17. Jeremy Loughman
• 18. Tom O’Toole
• 19. Iain Henderson 
• 20. Josh van der Flier 
• 21. Jamison Gibson-Park
• 22. Harry Byrne
• 23. Jordan Larmour

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