Ireland Prepare for England Clash with Key Changes to Starting Lineup

Dublin, Ireland – February 19, 2026 – Andy Farrell has announced his Ireland squad for their highly anticipated Six Nations round three clash against England at Twickenham on Saturday. The team sees several key changes following their 20-13 victory over Italy, with Jack Crowley and Jamison Gibson-Park promoted to the starting lineup.

Team Lineups

IRELAND: Jamie Osborne. Robert Baloucoune, Garry Ringrose, Stuart McCloskey, James Lowe; Jack Crowley, Jamison Gibson-Park; Jeremy Loughman, Dan Sheehan, Tadhg Furlong; Joe McCarthy, James Ryan; Tadhg Beirne, Josh van der Flier, Caelan Doris (capt).
Replacements: Rónan Kelleher, Tom O’Toole, Finlay Bealham, Nick Timoney, Jack Conan, Craig Casey, Ciaran Frawley, Tommy O’Brien.

ENGLAND: Freddie Steward, Tommy Freeman, Ollie Lawrence, Fraser Dingwall, Henry Arundell; George Ford, Alex Mitchell; Ellis Genge, Luke Cowan-Dickie, Joe Heyes; Maro Itoje (capt), Ollie Chessum; Tom Curry, Ben Earl, Henry Pollock.
Replacements: Jamie George, Bevan Rodd, Trevor Davison, Alex Coles, Guy Pepper, Sam Underhill, Jack van Poortvliet, Marcus Smith.

Farrell’s Rationale and Key Changes

According to Farrell, the changes are aimed at delivering the best possible performance against a formidable England side. “Games between the two sides have been nip and tuck over recent times and there’s great familiarity and respect across both camps,” Farrell stated. “We know their strengths and our aim is to deliver the best version of ourselves to set us in a position to obtain the performance that we desire.”

The most notable changes see Jack Crowley earning his first start at outhalf in this campaign, replacing an unnamed player, and Jamison Gibson-Park taking the scrum-half position. Tadhg Furlong and Tadhg Beirne, who made strong impacts off the bench in the previous match, have also been named in the starting XV.

Prendergast Out, Frawley In

Sam Prendergast has been left out of the matchday 23 altogether, with Ciarán Frawley promoted to the replacements bench, providing cover across the backline. Finlay Bealham has been added as tighthead cover, while Jack Conan returns to the bench, and Caelan Doris reverts to number eight with Beirne at blindside.

Back Three Remains Unchanged

The back three of Jamie Osborne, Robert Baloucoune, and James Lowe remain unchanged, demonstrating confidence in their recent performance. The midfield pairing of Garry Ringrose and Stuart McCloskey also remains consistent.

Looking Ahead to Twickenham

Ireland will be backed by a significant number of travelling supporters at Twickenham, adding to the atmosphere of this crucial Six Nations encounter. The team will be looking to build on their win against Italy and secure a positive result against a strong England side.

As Jamie Osborne stated, “England at Twickenham, you’ve seen how fine they’ve been recently at home. They’re a team with extremely high confidence and we’re probably a team that is starting to build now, so we’re coming into it a little bit differently. But I can’t wait to get stuck into them if I am selected. I think we’re building something good here.”