England take on Six Nations champions Ireland in Dublin on Saturday in what is both teams’ penultimate warm-up before the Rugby World Cup begins next month.
Owen Farrell was cleared this week to lead his country both in this match and into the tournament, after his red card picked up against Wales was unexpectedly overturned by a disciplinary hearing. The all-Australian judicial committee decided that his offence warranted a yellow card only and should not have been lifted to a red by the Bunker review system during the game.
For Ireland, Keith Earls is set to earn his 100th international cap, becoming only the ninth Irishman to have played a century of Test matches.
“It would be a massive honour but also just a bit of relief because I was stuck on 98,” Earls said this week having suffered with injuries and not played for Ireland for more than a year. “I suppose in the last couple of years I was genuinely thinking every time I stepped on to the field it could be the last time. I’d be extremely proud and privileged to join a unique group.”
Ireland play Samoa while England play Fiji next weekend, ahead of the tournament in France.
When is Ireland vs England?
The match starts at 5.30pm in Dublin’s Aviva Stadium.
How to watch on TV and online
Ireland vs England will be broadcast live on Amazon Prime Video, and subscribers will be able to stream the game live on the app and website.
Team news
George Ford has the nod to start while England await the full outcome of Owen Farrell’s red card against Wales, with Steve Borthwick confirming Farrell “would otherwise have played”.
Courtney Lawes is captain, while Ellis Genge and David Ribbans both returning to the lineup. Borthwick retains an unchanged back row from the Wales game, with centre Manu Tuilagi back too.
Ireland hand a first start to back-rower Cian Prendergast, in a XV which is all-change from the win over Italy recently. However it is a more familiar-looking lineup to that which secured the Grand Slam for Ireland in the Six Nations win over England, with 11 starters in place here.
Line-ups
Ireland: Keenan; Hansen, Ringrose, Aki, Lowe; Byrne, Gibson-Park; Porter, Sheehan, Furlong, Beirne, Ryan, O’Mahony, van der Flier, Prendergast.
Replacements: Herring, Loughman, Bealham, McCarthy, Doris, Murray, Crowley, Earls.
England: Steward; Watson, Marchant, Tuilagi, Daly; Ford, Youngs; Genge, George, Stuart, Itoje, Ribbans, Lawes, Earl, B Vunipola.
Replacements: Dan, Marler, Sinckler, Chessum, Willis, Care, Smith, Lawrence.
Odds
Get all the latest odds and tips for Ireland vs England here.
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