McNabney set for debut as Irish make seven changes
McNabney could make his Test debut after recovering from a serious knee injury [Getty Images] Ulster's James McNabney is poised to make his Ireland debut off the bench as head coach Andy Farrell makes seven changes for Saturday's Nations Championship match against Fiji.
Key points
- Replacements: Tom Stewart, Tom O'Toole, Sam Illo, Darragh Murray, James McNabney, Craig Casey, Ciaran Frawley, Stuart McCloskey.
- Timoney's switch comes amid an injury crisis at number eight, with Caelan Doris, Jack Conan and Sean Jansen all ruled out through injury, while Hansen replaces Hugo Keenan, who drops out of the squad after scoring a hat-trick of tries in the 42-12 win over Argentina.
- Behind an experienced second row of Ryan and Beirne, Ryan Baird keeps his place at blind-side flanker after impressing on his return against Argentina, while Timoney is entrusted with a first Test start at number eight after an eye-catching showing at open-side last week.
McNabney is one of four Ulster players on the bench alongside hooker Tom Stewart, prop Tom O'Toole and centre McCloskey, who drops out of the starting line-up for the first time in 2026.
Additional details
- Line-up Ireland: Mack Hansen; Rob Baloucoune, Jamie Osborne, Bundee Aki, Tommy O'Brien; Sam Prendergast, Jamison Gibson-Park; Andrew Porter, Ronan Kelleher, Tadhg Furlong, James Ryan, Tadhg Beirne (capt), Ryan Baird, Josh van der Flier, Nick Timoney.
- In the pack, Ronan Kelleher starts at hooker with Dan Sheehan ruled out because of concussion, while James Ryan partners stand-in captain Tadhg Beirne in the second row as Joe McCarthy drops out.
- With back-to-back world champions South Africa bringing their much-vaunted scrum power to Dublin next week, Farrell has opted to stick with first-choice props Andrew Porter and Tadhg Furlong.
- Tommy O'Brien returns to left wing while Aki - a late withdrawal from the Argentina game because of illness - and Osborne represent a new centre partnership.
- Gibson-Park returns at scrum-half after Craig Casey was preferred last week, while Prendergast is retained at fly-half with Ciaran Frawley kept in reserve.
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