Autumn Nations Cup: Ireland make four changes for England game as Aki, Earls, Byrne and Stander come in
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Autumn Nations Cup: England v Ireland |
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Venue: Twickenham Date: Saturday 21 November Kick-off: 15:00 GMT |
Coverage: Commentary on BBC Radio 5 Live Sports Extra and BBC Radio Ulster and online with live text commentary |
Ireland have made four changes for Saturday's Autumn Nations Cup game against England as Bundee Aki, Keith Earls, Ross Byrne and CJ Stander are drafted into the starting line-up.
Leinster fly-half Byrne and Connacht centre Aki come in for injured pair Johnny Sexton and Robbie Henshaw.
Wing Keith Earls replaces Munster team-mate Andrew Conway with flanker Stander taking over from Josh van der Flier.
Ulster pair Jacob Stockdale and Iain Henderson are named on the bench.
Both were late withdrawals for last weekend's win over Wales because of injury after originally being selected in the starting line-up.
Hugo Keenan remains at full-back for the match at Twickenham, with Connacht's Quinn Roux again partnering James Ryan in the second row.
Ryan will captain Ireland from the start after taking the armband during the first half of last Friday's game when Sexton was forced off.
Fly-half Byrne will earn his ninth cap after Sexton's hamstring injury ruled him out earlier this week.
"He has played big games for Leinster and this is his chance to go to Twickenham and show what he has got," said Ireland coach Andy Farrell of Byrne.
"I have no concerns whatsoever about Ross and his temperament.
"He will play his game and he will be his own guy. His style is cool, calm and collected."
Jamison Gibson-Park retains the scrum-half jersey as Conor Murray is named on the bench.
Ulster fly-half Billy Burns is named in the replacements after earning his first cap when replacing Sexton in the opening half last weekend, before a head injury assessment led to his departure in the 65th minute.
Burns' Ulster team-mate Rob Herring is also included in the replacements as he takes over from Connacht hooker Dave Heffernan.
Ireland: Keenan; Earls, Farrell, Aki, Lowe; R Byrne, Gibson-Park; Healy, Kelleher, Porter; Roux, Ryan (capt); Stander, O'Mahony, Doris.
Replacements: Herring, E Byrne, Bealham, Henderson, Connors, Murray, B Burns, Stockdale.
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