Easterby hands Prendergast out-half reins for Six Nations opener

Ireland welcome England to Dublin on Saturday in their tournament opener. 

Sam Prendergast of Ireland, right, comes on as a substitute for teammate Jack Crowley during the Autumn Nations Series match between Ireland and Argentina. Pic: Brendan Moran/Sportsfile

Sam Prendergast will make his Guinness Six Nations debut against England on Saturday after retaining his place in the starting line-up at out-half but interim head coach Simon Easterby has made two significant changes in his first XV, selecting Ryan Baird in the back row and dropping lock Joe McCarthy from the matchday squad.

Easterby, moving up from defence coach to stand in for Andy Farrell, now on secondment to the British & Irish Lions, has also made a tweak to his midfield from the side which started last time out against Australia in November, naming Garry Ringrose at outside centre as Robbie Henshaw swaps places with his Leinster teammate as the outside backs replacement.

Baird’s inclusion at blindside flanker in the back row alongside Josh van der Flier and captain Caelan Doris sees Tadhg Beirne move from number six to the second row where he will partner James Ryan as McCarthy is forced to sit out an Ireland international for the first time since cementing his place in the starting line-up following the 2023 World Cup.

Henshaw adds to a strong bench that also features hooker Dan Sheehan a week on from his seasonal debut for Leinster following a six-month lay-off, and back-rower Jack Conan, who missed the November Tests due to injury.

The front row is unchanged from the 22-19 November 30 win over the Wallabies with Finlay Bealham continuing at tighthead prop alongside hooker Ronan Kelleher and loosehead Andrew Porter.

Prendergast, who partners Jamison Gibson-Park in the half-backs, is set for his fourth Test cap at Aviva Stadium on Saturday having debuted off the bench against Argentina and then starting against both Fiji and Australia as fly-half rival Jack Crowley moved to the bench, a situation which will continue this weekend, despite the Munster number 10’s recent return to form. 

Craig Casey’s serious knee injury means Conor Murray returns as covering scrum-half for his 121st cap with fellow centurion Cian Healy set for appearance number 135 as loosehead prop replacement.

IRELAND (to face England, Saturday, 4:45pm): H Keenan (Leinster); M Hansen (Connacht), G Ringrose (Leinster), B Aki (Connacht), J Lowe (Leinster); S Prendergast (Leinster), J Gibson-Park (Leinster); A Porter (Leinster), R Kelleher (Leinster), F Bealham (Connacht); J Ryan(Leinster), T Beirne (Munster); R Baird (Leinster), J Van der Flier (Leinster), C Doris (Leinster) – captain.

Replacements: D Sheehan (Leinster), C Healy (Leinster), T Clarkson (Ulster), I Henderson (Ulster), J Conan (Leinster), C Murray (Munster), J Crowley (Munster), R Henshaw (Leinster).