Sexton returns to captain Ireland against Romania

Johnny Sexton will play his first competitive match since March when he starts against Romania on Saturday in Ireland’s opening match of the World Cup.

Sexton is set to make his first appearance for club or country since Ireland’s Six Nations Grand Slam-winning match against England after being named at fly-half.

The Ireland captain is just 34 points away from surpassing Ronan O’Gara (1,083) as Ireland’s top points scorer in test rugby.

Elsewhere Bundee Aki wins his 50th international cap alongside Garry Ringrose.

Dan Sheehan, Jack Conan and Dave Kilcoyne have all been ruled out as they recover from foot injuries in the case of Sheehan and Conan, and Kilcoyne tries to overcome a hamstring issue.

Ireland XV
1. Andrew Porter
2. Rob Herring
3. Tadhg Furlong
4. Joe McCarthy
5. James Ryan
6. Tadhg Beirne
7. Peter O’Mahony
8. Caelan Doris
9. Jamison Gibson-Park
10. Johnny Sexton (captain)
11. James Lowe
12. Bundee Ali
13. Garry Ringrose
14. Keith Earls
15. Hugo Keenan

Replacements:
16. Ronan Kelleher
17. Jeremy Loughman
18. Tom O’Toole
19. Iain Henderson
20. Josh van der Flier
21. Conor Murray
22. Jack Crowley
23. Robbie Henshaw