Six Nations 2022: Ireland v Wales preview, team news & key stats

Wales begin their Six Nations title defence on Saturday when they take an injury-hit squad to face Ireland.

The hosts are bidding to defeat Wales in five successive Test matches at home for the first time.

Wales upset the odds in winning a 28th championship in 2021, just missing out on a Grand Slam due to an injury-time defeat in Paris in their final match.

Captain Alun Wyn Jones is one of eight British and Irish Lions missing, an omission of nearly 700 caps.

Ireland, on the other hand, have a near fully-fit squad and come into this contest in excellent form, having won their past eight Tests, including an exhilarating victory over New Zealand during a clean sweep of their autumn fixtures.

Connacht wing Mack Hansen will make his debut for Ireland in the absence of the injured James Lowe and Jacob Stockdale, while 36-year-old Johnny Sexton captains the team on his 102nd cap and his 53rd appearance in the championship.

Leinster hooker Dan Sheehan and Ulster back James Hume are set to make their first Six Nations appearances off the bench.

Wales' absentees means that Cardiff wing Josh Adams will make a first Test start at centre, partnering Nick Tompkins in midfield.

Newport Dragons flanker Taine Basham makes his Six Nations debut in the back row alongside Ellis Jenkins and Aaron Wainwright.

Ospreys hooker Dewi Lake could make his first Wales appearance from the bench, while fellow replacement and club team-mate Gareth Thomas is in line for his first outing in this tournament.

British and Irish Lion Ross Moriarty is fit enough to be included in the match-day 23 and stands to win a 50th cap, while fly-half Dan Biggar captains the side.

Eddie Butler: "Ireland beat the All Blacks in the autumn, enough to make them favourites for this with no further data input. But they are also at home and the Irish provinces are flying and when Iain Henderson is your only injury doubt you are not exactly struggling for numbers.

"Wales are short of confidence at regional level, have injuries in every position, it seems, and have not enjoyed much success at the Aviva in recent years. Ireland must surely win big.

"But the Six Nations has its own rhythm and it takes some getting used to. If Wales could keep the ball on the field of play with no stoppages they could be the surprise package of round one. Reality check: there will be scrummages, line-outs and restarts. Ireland 34, Wales 28."

Ireland head coach Andy Farrell: "Putting ourselves under pressure in the autumn against great sides is one step and the next step is a competition with a trophy at the end of it that we want to do really well in.

"We want to put ourselves under pressure and we want to see how we deal with that pressure.

"The Six Nations is always that, it's the ultimate test as far as a rugby competition is concerned and then you look at what we've got down the track, it's exactly what we want."

Wales head coach Wayne Pivac: "History in Dublin shows it's a hard place to go. Ireland are a very tough, very physical side, so we know we are going to have to step up in that area of the game and make sure we do that for 80 minutes.

"We've got to be very disciplined, and be in there fighting for the right result."

Ireland: 15-Keenan, 14-Conway, 13-Ringrose, 12-Aki, 11-Hansen, 10-Sexton, 9-Gibson-Park; 1-Porter, 2-Kelleher, 3-Furlong, 4-Beirne, 5-Ryan, 6-Doris, 7-Van Der Flier, 8-Conan

Replacements: 16-Sheehan, 17-Healy, 18-Bealham, 19-Baird, 20-O'Mahony, 21-Murray, 22-Carbery, 23-Hume

Wales: 15-L. Williams, 14-McNicholl, 13-Adams, 12-Tompkins, 11-Rees-Zammit, 10-Biggar, 9-T. Williams; 1-W. Jones, 2-Elias, 3-Francis, 4-Rowlands, 5-Beard, 6-Jenkins, 7-Basham, 8-Wainwright

Replacements: 16-Lake, 17-G. Thomas, 18-Lewis, 19-S. Davies, 20-Moriarty, 21-G. Davies, 22-Sheedy, 23-Watkin

Head-to-head

Ireland

Wales

Referee: Jaco Peyper (South Africa)

Touch judges: Mathieu Raynal (France) & Angus Gardner (Australia)

TMO: Stuart Terheege (England)