Injury-hit defending champions Wales have handed wing Josh Adams his first international start at outside centre, while Ireland’s Mack Hansen will make his international debut in the Six Nations opener in Dublin on Saturday.
Wales are missing a total of 680 caps through injury and look particularly thin among the centres, prompting a switch head coach Wayne Pivac wanted to try in the autumn international against Fiji late last year before Adams withdrew from the game when he injured himself in the warm-up. He will partner Nick Tompkins in the midfield.
Lock Will Rowlands is back in the side to partner Adam Beard, while the front row features hooker Ryan Elias, who will have props Wyn Jones and Tomas Francis either side of him.
Highly-rated flanker Taine Basham will make his Six Nations debut, joining Ellis Jenkins and No. 8 Aaron Wainwright at the back of the scrum.
The back three is made up of wings Johnny McNicholl and Louis Rees-Zammit, and fullback Liam Williams. New captain Dan Biggar is at fly-half and Tomos Williams completed the backline.
Flanker Ross Moriarty is fit enough for the bench and looking to earn a 50th cap, while hoping to earn his first is hooker Dewi Lake.
It’s something we’ve been thinking about for a while,” Pivac said about moving Adams to the wing.
“He’s done it in training and in small doses at the end of a game. We think this is a golden opportunity to answer that question.”
Meanwhile, Ireland’s head coach Andy Farrell has made only two changes in their starting line-up from their win against New Zealand in November, with Tadhg Beirne returning to the second-row and Hansen joining the backline
Uncapped Hansen will start on the left wing, accompanied by Andrew Conway on the right and Hugo Keenan at fullback.
Bundee Aki and Garry Ringrose link up in the centre for the 15th time for Ireland, while captain Johnny Sexton will start at fly-half for his 102nd cap with Jamison Gibson Park at scrum-half.
In the pack, Lock Tadhg Beirne returns alongside James Ryan, with Andrew Porter, Ronan Kelleher and Tadhg Furlong featuring in the front row.
Jack Conan will start at No. 8, flanked by Caelan Doris and Josh van der Flier.
From the bench, James Hume and Dan Sheehan are looking to make their Six Nations debut.
Wales XV:
Liam Williams, Johnny McNicholl, Josh Adams, Nick Tompkins, Louis Rees-Zammit, Dan Biggar (C), Tomos Williams, Wyn Jones, Ryan Elias, Tomas Francis, Will Rowlands, Adam Beard, Ellis Jenkins, Taine Basham, Aaron Wainwright.
Replacements: Dewi Lake, Gareth Thomas, Dillon Lewis, Seb Davies, Ross Moriarty, Gareth Davies, Callum Sheedy, Owen Watkin
Ireland XV:
Hugo Keenan, Andrew Conway, Garry Ringrose, Bundee Aki, Mack Hansen, Johnny Sexton (C), Jamison Gibson Park, Andrew Porter, Ronan Kelleher, Tadhg Furlong, Tadhg Beirne, James Ryan, Caelan Doris, Josh van der Flier, Jack Conan.
Replacements: Dan Sheehan, Cian Healy, Finlay Bealham, Ryan Baird, Peter O’Mahony, Conor Murray, Joey Carbery, James Hume