Prendergast at 10 for Easterby's Ireland bow
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Interim Ireland head coach Simon Easterby has named Sam Prendergast at flyhalf for the reigning Six Nations champions’ opener against England in Dublin on Saturday.
Prendergast has been selected for his championship debut ahead of Jack Crowley, a mainstay of last year's title-winning team but is now on the bench. Jamison Gibson-Park starts at scrumhalf alongside the 21-year-old Prendergast.
Easterby, in charge while Andy Farrell is seconded to the British & Irish Lions for the 2025 tour of Australia, has also recalled Ryan Baird to the back row, with Garry Ringrose preferred to Leinster teammate Robbie Henshaw at outside centre.
Caelan Doris will captain the Irish in the Aviva Stadium clash. Hugo Keenan, Mack Hansen and James Lowe are named in the back three, with Bundee Aki partnering Ringrose in midfield.
Elsewhere in the pack, Andrew Porter, Ronan Kelleher and Finlay Bealham are named in the front row, with James Ryan and Tadhg Beirne linking up in the engine room.
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Baird is selected at blindside flanker, Josh van der Flier at openside and Doris packing down at No 8.
Easterby has experienced options on the bench to call upon, with the fit-again Dan Sheehan, Cian Healy, Thomas Clarkson, Iain Henderson and Jack Conan in line to make an impact with backs Crowley, Henshaw and Conor Murray.
"We've come off the back of a good week's training in Quinta do Lago [Portugal] and I have been hugely impressed by the effort of the squad," Easterby said.
"We've enjoyed some competitive sessions and it wasn't easy selecting a squad for this week's game given the quality of those who haven't made the final 23.
"Credit to those who missed out on selection for this game, there was obvious disappointment but they all stepped up brilliantly to help prepare the team this week.
"England are a talented squad with quality across their panel and we know that we will need to hit the ground running to deliver a winning performance.
"The atmosphere will be electric come kick off and I know how excited the Irish public will be to see their team perform,” he added.
"That opportunity to represent the Irish people is something that always motivates the players and there has been real intent in how they have approached this week's training. We're ready for the challenge and excited to get going."
Ireland – 15 Hugo Keenan, 14 Mack Hansen, 13 Garry Ringrose, 12 Bundee Aki, 11 James Lowe, 10 Sam Prendergast, 9 Jamison Gibson-Park, 8 Caelan Doris (c), 7 Josh van der Flier, 6 Ryan Baird, 5 Tadhg Beirne, 4 James Ryan, 3 Finlay Bealham, 2 Ronan Kelleher, 1 Andrew Porter.
Bench: 16 Dan Sheehan, 17 Cian Healy, 18 Thomas Clarkson, 19 Iain Henderson, 20 Jack Conan, 21 Conor Murray, 22 Jack Crowley, 23 Robbie Henshaw.
Photo: Brendan Moran/Sportsfile via Getty Images
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