Captain Alex Kendellen shifts to openside flanker as Murphy manages his resources and makes nine changes in personnel to his starting XV for Ireland’s fourth game of the 2021 Championship in Cardiff.
With Kendellen switching to the number seven jersey, powerful Munster back row Daniel Okeke comes in to win his first start of the campaign at number eight, with Alex Soroka named at blindside as Ireland bid to bounce back from the Round 3 defeat to England.
There are three further changes in personnel in the pack, with George Saunderson and Eoin de Buitléar selected in the front row and Mark Morrissey returning to the second row alongside Harry Sheridan.
James Humphreys has recovered from a facial injury sustained in the opening win over Scotland to start at out-half, while Nathan Doak continues in the number nine jersey. There is a new-look Ireland midfield with Ulster duo Jude Postlethwaite and Ben Carson in line for their full debuts having featured off the bench during the opening three rounds of action.
Leinster’s Jamie Osborne makes his third start of the Championship at full-back, with Conor Rankin and Chay Mullins named on the wings for the meeting with the Azzurri.
