Ireland pick Prendergast at fly-half for England game

Men's Six Nations: Ireland v England

Venue: Aviva Stadium Date: Saturday, 1 February Kick-off: 16:45 GMT

Coverage: Listen live on BBC Radio 5 Live; text commentary and highlights on BBC Sport website and app; watch on ITV1.

Sam Prendergast has been retained at fly-half for Ireland's opening Six Nations match against England on Saturday.

Leinster's Prendergast, 21, started Ireland's last two November Tests and is entrusted to make his Six Nations debut from the start this weekend by interim head coach Simon Easterby.

Jack Crowley played every minute of Ireland's Six Nations title-winning campaign last year, but despite impressing for Munster in recent weeks, the 25-year-old must settle for a place on the bench.

Easterby, who has stepped up to replace Andy Farrell while the latter focuses on leading the British and Irish Lions this summer, has also recalled Ryan Baird to the back row.

Baird's inclusion means Tadhg Beirne switches to the second row with Joe McCarthy ruled out through injury.

Garry Ringrose is preferred to Leinster team-mate Robbie Henshaw at outside centre, partnering Bundee Aki.

Having recently returned from a six-month knee injury layoff, hooker Dan Sheehan starts on the bench with Ronan Kelleher retained.

Kelleher will start alongside Andrew Porter and Finlay Bealham in the front row. Bealham is again required from the start in place of the injured Tadhg Furlong.

Ireland: Keenan; Hansen, Ringrose, Aki, Lowe; Prendergast, Gibson-Park; Porter, Kelleher, Bealham; Ryan, Beirne; Baird, Van der Flier, Doris (capt).

Replacements: Sheehan, Healy, Clarkson, Henderson, Conan, Murray, Crowley, Henshaw.

Men's Six Nations

Friday, 31 January - Saturday, 15 March

Prendergast was seen with a heavily strapped leg in training earlier this week but attack coach Andrew Goodman played down any injury concerns on Tuesday.

After being preferred to Crowley for the win over Australia in November, Prendergast started all four of Leinster's Investec Champions Cup pool games, scoring two tries against Bristol at Ashton Gate.

However, Saturday will be by far the biggest game of the Kildare native's career as he will be expected to orchestrate Ireland's attack against an England side who won last year's encounter at Twickenham.

"We've enjoyed some competitive [training] sessions and it wasn't easy selecting a squad for this week's game given the quality of those who haven't made the final 23," said Easterby.

"Credit to those who missed out on selection for this game, there was obvious disappointment but they all stepped up brilliantly to help prepare the team this week.

"England are a talented squad with quality across their panel and we know that we will need to hit the ground running to deliver a winning performance."

Ringrose's inclusion is the only change to Ireland's backline from the Australia game.

Hugo Keenan remains at full-back while Mack Hansen starts on the right wing after serving his three-game ban for criticising the officials in Connacht's defeat by Leinster in December.

James Lowe, who returned from injury in Leinster's win over Stormers last week, starts on the left wing with Jamison Gibson-Park at scrum-half as expected.

Furlong's ongoing injury troubles mean Bealham extends his run at tight-head prop.

Furlong missed the November campaign with a hamstring injury, and while he regained fitness in time to be included in Easterby's squad, a calf problem led to him being sent home from Ireland's pre-tournament training camp in Portugal.

Beirne played three of the November games in the back row, but he moves into the second row to partner James Ryan with Baird given his first start since last year's Six Nations win over Italy alongside Josh van der Flier and captain Caelan Doris.

Easterby will be able to spring a wealth of experience from the bench in Cian Healy, Conor Murray, Iain Henderson and Henshaw, while Jack Conan returns after missing last summer's Test series in South Africa and the autumn campaign.

Leinster's Thomas Clarkson, who earned his first two caps in November, is set for his Six Nations debut as a tight-head replacement.