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ANDY FARRELL HAS made five changes to his starting Ireland team for Saturday’s Six Nations meeting with England in Twickenham [KO 2.10pm, RTÉ 2].
Jack Crowley, Jamison Gibson-Park, Tadhg Furlong, Tadhg Beirne and Josh van der Flier all come into the first XV following last weekend’s defeat of Italy.
The Ireland head coach has also opted for a 5/3 bench split, having gone 6/2 for the opening two fixtures against France and Italy.
Ciarán Frawley is in line to win his first cap since last summer’s tour of Georgia and Portugal, with Sam Prendergast not included in the matchday 23.
Cormac Izuchukwu and Edwin Edogbo, who both impressed against Italy, are also not included.
The back three is unchanged, with Jamie Osborne at fullback and Robert Balacoune and James Lowe on the wings.
Garry Ringrose continues alongside Stuart McCloskey in the Ireland midfield.
Crowley is named at 10, as Gibson-Park returns at scrum-half.
Up front, Jeremy Loughman continues at loosehead, with Dan Sheehan at hooker and Furlong coming in at tighthead.
Joe McCarthy and James Ryan are the starting second rows.
Two changes in the back row see Beirne and Van der Flier return to the starting team, while Caelan Doris reverts back to number eight having started in the number seven shirt last weekend.
On the Ireland bench, Ronán Kelleher, Tom O’Toole and Finlay Bealham are the front row replacements.
Nick Timoney and Jack Conan complete the forward cover, with no recognised lock on the Ireland bench.
Craig Casey, Ciarán Frawley, and Tommy O’Brien are the three replacement backs.
Replacements:
Written by Ciarán Kennedy and originally published on The 42 whose award-winning team produces original content that you won’t find anywhere else: on GAA, League of Ireland, women’s sport and boxing, as well as our game-changing rugby coverage, all with an Irish eye. Subscribe here.
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