Arizona Tribune - Gibson-Park gets nod for Ireland's Six Nations Grand Slam clash

Gibson-Park had missed the first three matches due to injury but he gets the nod ahead of veteran Conor Murray as he looked sharp when he came on for the second-half of last Sunday's win over Scotland.

Gibson-Park had in any case replaced Murray as number one prior to the Six Nations although the latter has impressed.

The New Zealand-born player teams up with his Leinster team-mate and Irish skipper Johnny Sexton, who will be making his 60th and final Six Nations appearance.

The 37-year-old will be hoping for a dream curtain call of becoming the tournament's all-time points scorer -- he is level with compatriot Ronan O'Gara on 557 points -- and the first Ireland captain to seal an Irish Grand Slam in Dublin.

The other three have come in Belfast (1948), Cardiff (2009) and Twickenham (2018).

Aside from Gibson-Park Farrell brings in lock Ryan Baird for the injured Iain Henderson and Robbie Henshaw lines up alongside Bundee Aki in the centres with Garry Ringrose ruled out.

Both hooker Dan Sheehan and outstanding No8 Caelan Doris have recovered from injuries which forced them off in the Scotland game.

World player of the year Josh van der Flier will win his 50th cap.

Ireland will start as hot favourites with England arrving on the back of a record 53-10 hammering at Twickenham by France last Saturday.

However, the English will hope to ruin Ireland's day just as the hosts did theirs on three occasions, denying them the Grand Slam on the final day in 2001, 2011 and 2017.

Team (15-1)

Hugo Keenan; Mack Hansen, Robbie Henshaw, Bundee Aki, James Lowe; Johnny Sexton (capt), Jamison Gibson-Park; Caelan Doris, Josh van der Flier, Peter O'Mahony; James Ryan, Ryan Baird; Tadhg Furlong, Dan Sheehan, Andrew Porter

Replacements: Rob Herring, Cian Healy, Tom O'Toole, Kieran Treadwell, Jack Conan, Conor Murray, Ross Byrne, Jimmy O'Brien

Coach: Andy Farrell (ENG)

S.Jackson--AT