The Ireland coaching group have named the matchday squad for their first home game of 2018 as they host Conor O’Shea’s Italy in round 2 of the NatWest 6 Nations at the Aviva Stadium on Saturday afternoon (KO 2.15pm).

Jordan Larmour is in line to make his first senior international appearance on Saturday should he be called into action from the bench.

Larmour made his senior Leinster debut in the opening game of the season away to Dragons in the Guinness PRO14. He also represented Leinster ‘A’ in the opening two rounds of the British & Irish Cup and made his European debut from the bench in the win against Exeter Chiefs at Sandy Park.

He has scored six tries for Leinster so far this season in 14 appearances.

Rory Best leads Ireland on the occasion of his 108th cap and is joined in the front row by Jack McGrath and Tadhg Furlong.

Iain Henderson and Devin Toner line-out in the second row with Peter O’Mahony at blindside, Dan Leavy on the openside and Jack Conan at number 8.

This will be Conan’s first appearance in the 6 Nations having made his debut in a World Cup warm-up match against Scotland in 2015. He has played for Ireland on four occasions since – three times on the tour of the USA and Japan last summer, and against Fiji in the 2017 Guinness Series.

Conor Murray, who won his 60th cap last week again partners Johnny Sexton, who will win his 70th on Saturday, in the half-backs, while Bundee Aki and Robbie Henshaw are paired in the centre.

Rob Kearney, winning his 80th cap, is at full-back with Keith Earls and Jacob Stockdale on the wings in an unchanged backline from Paris.

Ireland

Player/Club/Province/Caps

15. Rob Kearney (UCD/Leinster) 79
14. Keith Earls (Young Munster/Munster) 63
13. Robbie Henshaw (Buccaneers/Leinster) 32
12. Bundee Aki (Galwegians/Connacht) 3
11. Jacob Stockdale (Ballynahinch/Ulster) 5
10. Johnny Sexton (St. Mary’s College/Leinster) 69
9. Conor Murray (Garryowen/Munster) 60
1. Jack McGrath (St. Mary’s College/Leinster) 43
2. Rory Best (Banbridge/Ulster) (capt) 106
3. Tadhg Furlong (Clontarf/Leinster) 19
4. Iain Henderson (Ballynahinch/Ulster) 34
5. Devin Toner (Lansdowne/Leinster) 54
6. Peter O’Mahony (Cork Constitution/Munster) 43
7. Dan Leavy (UCD/Leinster) 5
8. Jack Conan (Old Belvedere/Leinster) 5

Replacements

16. Sean Cronin (St. Mary’s College/Leinster) 57
17. Cian Healy (Clontarf/Leinster) 74
18. Andrew Porter (UCD/Leinster) 3
19. Quinn Roux (Galwegians/Connacht) 3
20. CJ Stander (Shannon/Munster) 19
21. Kieran Marmion (Galway Corinthians/Connacht) 18
22. Joey Carbery (Clontarf/Leinster) 6
23. Jordan Larmour (St. Mary’s College/Leinster)*

*Denotes uncapped player