Dan Sheehan will captain Ireland against Wales in Saturday’s Six Nations game in Cardiff.
The hooker will lead the team for the first time with regular skipper Caelan Doris ruled out because of a knee injury.
Sheehan, 26, came off the bench in Ireland’s wins over England and Scotland but replaces the injured Ronan Kelleher in a team showing seven changes from the win at Murrayfield.
Alongside Sheehan in the front row is Leinster prop Thomas Clarkson, who will make his first Test start after earning his debut in November, while Jack Boyle is set to make his debut off the bench.
Jack Conan replaces Doris at number eight, while Joe McCarthy returns to the second row after recovering from the head injury that ruled him out of the first two games.
In the backline, Mack Hansen returns to the wing after missing the Scotland game while Garry Ringrose is named to start alongside Robbie Henshaw in midfield, with Bundee Aki dropping to the bench.
Jamie Osborne will make his Six Nations debut at full-back, replacing Hugo Keenan, with Sam Prendergast retained at fly-half after impressing in his away debut against Scotland.
