ONLINE
Live blog on RTÉ Sport Online and the RTÉ News app from 6pm, Friday.
RADIO
Live commentary on RTÉ Radio 1 with Bernard Jackman and Michael Corcoran.
TV
Live coverage on RTÉ2, highlights on Against the Head, RTÉ2, Monday 8pm.
WEATHER
Overcast in Dublin with temperature at around 9C.
STATE OF PLAY
The tournament came into existence because of the near impossible logistics of getting the usual southern hemisphere visitors top-side for November.
Originally Ireland were due to host autumn internationals against Australia, World Cup winners South African and Japan, who recorded a shock win over Joe Schmidt's Ireland a year ago.
But that fixture list fell foul of the Covid-19 outbreak and thus the Autumn Nations Cup was born.
Ireland are in Group A and over the next four weekends will face Wales, England (away) and Georgia, plus the Group B team (France, Italy, Scotland or Fiji) that finishes in the same position in the standings in the Group B table.
TEAM NEWS
The inclusion of New Zealander James Lowe for his first cap after completing a three-year residency clause is the big news from an Ireland point of view.
The Leinster wing brings a measure of ballast to the position that is not usually seen in our native internationals so all eyes will be on the 28-year-old.
In all there are seven changes to the team beaten by France two weeks ago. Backs Chris Farrell, Jamison Gibson-Park, and forwards Josh van der Flier, Peter O'Mahony, Iain Henderson and Ronan Kelleher all start for the hosts, who finished the Six Nations in third place.
Despite losing five games on the bounce, including the 24-14 defeat in Dublin in February, Wales coach Wayne Pivac makes just one switch from the side that lost to Scotland in the final round of the Six Nations. Justin Tupuric comes in in the back row.
WHAT THEY SAID
Andy Farrell (Ireland head coach): "We've got good people here and they warrant competition – whether they admit it or not – because that will make them better players and that’s how we move forward as a group."
Wayne Pivac (Wales head coach): "[There's] a lot of work to be done, but we want to start that and show an improvement from Friday night's game. And we need to do that, because with good performances comes confidence and self-belief. And with poor performances, it’s the opposite."
Ireland: Jacob Stockdale, Hugo Keenan, Chris Farrell, Robbie Henshaw, James Lowe, Johnny Sexton (capt), Jamison Gibson-Park; Cian Healy, Ronan Kelleher, Andrew Porter, Iain Henderson, James Ryan, Peter O'Mahony, Josh van der Flier, Caelan Doris.
Replacements: Dave Heffernan, Ed Byrne, Finlay Bealham, Quinn Roux, WillConnors, Conor Murray, Billy Burns, Keith Earls.
Wales: Leigh Halfpenny, Liam Williams, Jonathan Davies, Owen Watkin, Josh Adams, Dan Biggar, Gareth Davies; Rhys Carre, Ryan Elias, Tomas Francis, Will Rowlands, Alun Wyn Jones (capt), Shane Lewis-Hughes, Justin Tipuric, Taulupe Faletau.
Replacements: Elliot Dee, Wyn Jones, Samson Lee, Jake Ball, Aaron Wainwright, Lloyd Williams, Callum Sheedy, George North.
OFFICIALS
Referee: Mathieu Raynal (France)
Assistant Referee 1: Pascal Gauzere
Assistant Referee 2: Alexandre Ruiz
TMO: Romain Poite
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