Six Nations: Doris and Sheehan fit for Ireland's Grand Slam contest with England

Caelan Doris and Dan Sheehan were both forced off in the first-half of Ireland's attritional win over Scotland but have been passed fit to start in the Grand Slam contest

Caelan Doris and Dan Sheehan have been passed fit to start for Grand Slam-chasing Ireland in Saturday's Six Nations game against England in Dublin.

Centre Robbie Henshaw and lock Ryan Baird replace Garry Ringrose and Iain Henderson who were injured in last Sunday's attritional win over Scotland.

A further change for the Aviva Stadium game sees scrum-half Jamison Gibson-Park taking over from Conor Murray.

Henshaw, Baird and Gibson-Park all came on as replacements last weekend.

Given the two enforced changes, Ireland coach Andy Farrell made clear his delight that Doris and Sheehan are available.

Doris has had a sensational Six Nations for Ireland at number eight with his carrying ability and breakdown work both key components of the team's game plan.

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Hooker Sheehan's availability is also important for the Irish after both he and his replacement Ronan Kelleher were forced off at Murrayfield, which meant that prop Cian Healy had to move to the middle of the scrum in the front row as flanker Josh van der Flier performed the line-out throwing duties.

"It's a strong side. I'm happy with it obviously. We're fit and raring to go," said the Ireland coach.

"Gutted for people like Garry (Ringrose) and Iain Henderson who miss out on the last weekend but the lads who come in have got their chance to put their best foot forward.

With Kelleher ruled out, Ulster's Rob Herring, who was concussed after starting in Ireland's second game against France, is named on the bench with his club-mate Kieran Treadwell also drafted into the replacements as Leinster's Baird takes over from the injured Henderson in the second row.

Henshaw earns his first Ireland start since he picked up a hamstring injury in the November win over Fiji as he takes over from the influential Ringrose, which means that Leinster utility back, Jimmy O'Brien, is named in the replacements with Ulster's Stuart McCloskey again missing out after starting in the opening three rounds.

"Stu McCloskey has been unbelievably unlucky in that regard in that Jimmy's versatility gives us good scope off the bench," added Farrell.

Andy Farrell said Jamison Gibson-Park's impressive contribution off the bench at Murrayfield helped earn his recall to the starting line-up

Scrum-half Gibson-Park's first playing involvement in this season's tournament was when he replaced Murray after 53 minutes last weekend.

The Leinster number nine was a late withdrawal from Ireland's opening win over Wales and his hamstring injury kept him out until his inclusion on the bench last weekend.

Prior to his injury, Gibson-Park has established himself as Farrell's first-choice scrum-haIf and the coach said that the New Zealand-born player's impressive showing off the bench had helped secure his recall.

"We feel Jamison's the right man to go and attack the game," added Farrell.

Captain Johnny Sexton will be making his 60th and final Six Nations appearance and is set to become the tournament's all-time points scorer as he goes into the game level on 557 points with another Ireland fly-half great Ronan O'Gara.

The Irish are aiming to secure their fourth Grand Slam, having achieved the feat in 1948, 2009 and 2018.

However, Ireland have never clinched a Grand Slam in Dublin and Farrell admitted this has been a motivating factor for the squad this year.

"It's something that we've talked about from day one coming in before we went to (the training camp in) Portugal. That it's not been done here so we're earned the right to have a go at that. We know how much it means to the Irish people."

Farrell versus Farrell

All week, the Ireland management and players have been insisting that they expect England to improve massively from their dismal showing in the record 53-10 home defeat by France and Farrell repeated this again on Thursday.

"Ellis Genge saying that they are going to come out and fight….of course 100% they will.

"They are going to be formidable opponents for us at the weekend. I know the quality of player they've got."

Farrell's son Owen returns to England's fly-half berth after starting on the bench in the mauling by France and the Ireland coach joked that he would be attempting to get his grandchildren to cheer for the home side on Saturday.

"We don't ask questions that puts the other person in too much of a predicament," said the Ireland coach in terms of his approach to contests against England when his son is involved.

"I know that he's travelling over today. He's not staying too far from our house actually.

"My grandkids are coming over today as well so we'll be trying to poach them into our captain's run tomorrow so we can squeeze them to cheer for Ireland. We'll see how that goes."

Ireland: Keenan; Hansen, Henshaw, Aki, Lowe; Sexton (capt), Gibson-Park; Porter, Sheehan, Furlong; Baird, Ryan; O'Mahony, van der Flier, Doris.

Replacements: Herring, Healy, O'Toole, Treadwell, Conan, Murray, R Byrne, O'Brien.