Sport

Andy Farrell has picked his side for the Six Nations opener against Wales

Dublin , Ireland - 26 January 2022; Mack Hansen during Ireland Rugby squad training at IRFU HPC at the Sport Ireland Campus in Dublin. (Photo By David Fitzgerald/Sportsfile via Getty Images)

IRELAND HEAD coach Andy Farrell has picked his match-day 23 to face Wales at the Aviva in their Six Nations opener against Wales on Saturday.

The most surprising inclusion is that of Connacht’s Mack Hansen. The Australia-born 23-year-old, whose mother is Irish, has impressed Farrell in Ireland's training camp in Portugal and gets the nod over the Keith Earls on the left flank.

Limerick , Ireland - 16 October 2021; Mack Hansen of Connacht dives over to score a try k. (Photo By David Fitzgerald/Sportsfile via Getty Images)

There was huge clamour by rugby pundits for Robert Baloucoune and Mike Lowry to make an appearance for Ireland, but both have been given permission to play for Ulster against Connacht this weekend.

Hansen joins Hugo Keenan and Andrew Conway in a back three.

Bundee Aki gets the nod over Robbie Henshaw and will now partner Garry Ringrose in the midfield. Henshaw and James Hume makes the bench.

Johnny Sexton has been selected as out-half and captain and will be paired up with Jamison Gibson-Park.

Up front, it's an all Leinster front-row of Andrew Porter, Rónan Kelleher and Tadhg Furlong, while James Ryan partners in-form Tadhg Beirne in the second-row.

Leinster complete the back-row with another trio, Caelan Doris, Josh van der Flier and Jack Conan linking up once again.

Farrell prefers Dan Sheehan to Rob Herring as reserve hooker, as Cian Healy and Finlay Bealham cover the prop positions.

Ryan Baird is selected ahead of injury doubt Iain Henderson, while Munster's Peter O'Mahony, Conor Murray and Joey Carbery cover back-row and the half-backs.

📋 𝐓𝐞𝐚𝐦 𝐀𝐧𝐧𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐜𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭.

Presenting your Ireland Match Day squad for Saturday's #GuinnessSixNations opener against Wales at a sold-out @avivastadium! 👊#TeamOfUs | #IREvWAL

— Irish Rugby (@IrishRugby) February 3, 2022