Ross Byrne handed first Ireland start in more than a year as Jamison Gibson-Park keeps...

[ASFN Admin]

Fly-half Ross Byrne will make his first Ireland start since August 2019 in Saturday's clash with England, while Jamison Gibson-Park retains the scrum-half role ahead of Conor Murray. Head coach Andy Farrell has made four changes to his starting XV for the Autumn Nations Cup game in London. Byrne, whose only previous start came in a 57-15 drubbing at Twickenham before last year's World Cup, has been given the nod to replace injured captain Johnny Sexton and win his ninth cap in preference to fellow international rookie Billy Burns. Long-serving half-back Murray must again be content with a place on the bench after New Zealand-born Gibson-Park impressed in Friday's 32-9 victory over Wales. Centre Bundee Aki replaces the injured Robbie Henshaw in midfield, with flanker CJ Stander and winger Keith Earls the other men recalled by Farrell. Lock James Ryan has been confirmed as stand-in captain after veteran Sexton was ruled out with a hamstring problem sustained against the Welsh. Meanwhile, Bath-born Burns, who represented England at Under-20 level, has been named among the replacements against the country of his birth having made his debut from the bench last time out. Lock Iain Henderson and full-back Jacob Stockdale are back among the replacements after fitness issues kept them sidelined last week.

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