Captain Jonathan Sexton returns to the Ireland starting team to lead the side against Romania, as Farrell’s men get their Pool B campaign underway in Bordeaux.
Hugo Keenan, Keith Earls and James Lowe are named in the back three, with Garry Ringrose and Bundee Aki paired in the Ireland midfield. Sexton captains the team as he resumes his half-back pairing with scrum-half Jamison Gibson-Park.
In the pack, Andrew Porter, Rob Herring and Tadhg Furlong start in the front row, with Joe McCarthy – one of six players in the starting XV set for their Rugby World Cup debuts – partnering James Ryan in the second row.
Tadhg Beirne is named at blindside flanker, with Peter O’Mahony at openside and Caelan Doris at number eight.
Farrell has strong options among his bench with Rob Herring, Jeremy Loughman and Tom O’Toole the front row reinforcements, Iain Henderson and Josh van der Flier covering the second and back row respectively, and Conor Murray, Jack Crowley and Robbie Henshaw providing the backline replacements.
Ireland:
17. Jeremy Loughman (Munster/Garryowen)(3)
18. Tom O’Toole (Ulster/Ballynahinch)(11)
20. Josh van der Flier (Leinster/UCD)(52)
21. Conor Murray (Munster/Garryowen)(107)
22. Jack Crowley (Munster/Cork Constitution)(6)
23. Robbie Henshaw (Leinster/Buccaneers)(65)
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