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Tadhg Beirne and James Lowe will start for Ireland in Sunday’s Guinness Six Nations clash with Wales in Cardiff.
Leinster back Lowe gets the nod ahead of Jordan Larmour on left wing and will have Keith Earls and Hugo Keenan for company in the last three.
New Zealand-born Lowe won two games in the Fall Nations Cup last November, but has not played since losing to England at Twickenham due to a groin problem.
When asked if Lowe was a bolter, head coach Andy Farrell said: “Not really, not in our eyes.
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“He is a great player, who is the right fit for this game. When you select a team, the first and foremost thing is to think about what is right for that team.
“He’s been in great shape [in training]. It was perfect to get back into action. ”
The rest of the bottom line is as expected with Conor Murray and Captain Johnny Sexton at 9 and 10 respectively.
Robbie Henshaw and Garry Ringrose are back at the center, starting together for the first time since the World Cup quarter-final loss to New Zealand in 2019.
“They are both class players, it is a partnership, with the very individuals that you would expect to take over a competition like this and show everyone what it is about,” said the Englishman.
Cian Healy, Rob Herring and Andrew Porter form the front row.
Prop Tadhg Furlong, who made his first appearance of the season for Leinster at the weekend, starts on the bench.
Munster lock Beirne will win his 18th international match after being rewarded for his club form and will be James Ryan’s teammate in the second row.
“It’s always an opportunity, every time you put the jersey on. Tadhg will be like everyone else, he will want to act for himself, but first for the team,” added Farrell.
Caelan Doris’ absence through injury means CJ Stander reverts to 8, with Peter O’Mahony and Josh van der Flier, who is preferred to Will Connors, on the blind and wide flanks.
“Josh was on the bench a couple of times this fall and he came in and made some great hits,” Farrell said of the call.
“He really hits the ball well, but his complete game is pretty strong and we felt like he was the one.”
Ronan Kelleher, Dave Kilcoyne, Furlong, Connors and Iain Henderson are the forward replacements, while Jamison Gibson-Park, Billy Burns and Larmour cover the baseline.
Wales coach Wayne Pivac must name his starting team by noon.
Ireland have not beaten Wales in the Cardiff championship since 2013, but have won the last four games, including two in preparation for the World Cup.
Ireland: Hugo Keenan, Keith Earls, Garry Ringrose, Robbie Henshaw, James Lowe, Johnny Sexton (captain), Conor Murray; Cian Healy, Rob Herring, Andrew Porter, Tadhg Beirne, James Ryan, Peter O’Mahony, Josh van der Flier, CJ Stander.
Replacements: Ronan Kelleher, Dave Kilcoyne, Tadhg Furlong, Iain Henderson, Will Connors, Jamison Gibson-Park, Billy Burns, Jordan Larmour.
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Follow Wales v Ireland (start at 3pm) on Sunday via our live blog on RTE.ie and the News app or listen live on RTÉ Radio 1 Sunday Sport. Highlights at Against the Head, Monday at 8:10 p.m. on RTÉ2 and RTÉ Player.
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