Andy Farrell has given Sam Prendergast a massive vote of confidence by handing him the Ireland No.10 jersey for the second week in-a-row.
Fresh after making his first international start in last week’s win over Fiji, which followed on from his debut off the bench against Argentina the previous week, Prendergast has retained his starting spot for Saturday’s final game of the year against Australia at the Aviva Stadium.
That means Jack Crowley has to make do with a place on the bench, as Farrell sticks with the 21-year-old Prendergast, who overcame a shaky start against Fiji to deliver a good performance that the Ireland boss was very pleased with.
Veteran loosehead Cian Healy (37) is set to become Ireland’s most-capped player of all-time, as he is in line to win his 134th cap.
After ringing the changes last weekend, Farrell has reverted to a more familiar looking team, as Hugo Keenan and James Lowe return to the back-three alongside Mack Hansen.
Bundee Aki and Robbie Henshaw are retained in midfield ahead of Garry Ringrose, who is named among the replacements.
Prendergast will be partnered by his Leinster team-mate Jamison Gibson-Park at half-back.
Hooker Rónan Kelleher is restored to the front-row with props Andrew Porter and Finlay Bealham, while James Ryan is back in the second-row with Joe McCarthy, which means Tadhg Beirne shifts to the back-row, where he links up with Josh van der Flier and captain Caelan Doris.
After impressing on his debut last time out, 21-year-old hooker Gus McCarthy is rewarded with a place on the bench, where he is joined by fellow forwards Healy, Tom O’Toole, Iain Henderson and Peter O’Mahony.
Craig Casey nudges his Munster team-mate Conor Murray in the battle for the back-up scrum-half slot, while Crowley and Ringrose also offer back-line cover.
Ireland: H Keenan; M Hansen, R Henshaw, B Aki, J Lowe; S Prendergast, J Gibson-Park; A Porter, R Kelleher, F Bealham; J McCarthy, J Ryan; T Beirne, J van der Flier, C Doris (capt).
Replacements:G McCarthy, C Healy, T O’Toole, I Henderson, P O’Mahony, C Casey, J Crowley, G Ringrose.