The only change is at hooker, where Huw Bennett returns from Wales senior duty and Keiran Crawford moves to the bench with Ben Kay (Newcastle Falcons) being omitted.
The squad has only two uncapped players – lock Jonathan Mills and prop Nathan Williams – who are both on the replacements bench.
Coach Chris Davey, in his sixth season, is wary of a strong Irish side, saying: “They had a good draw away to France last weekend and will be a far stronger side than Scotand.
“I have been to Ireland twice before and they were good, but Gavin Henson’slate try gave us a 38-36 win at Donnybrook two years ago.
“We will be playing France at the Gnoll on the Saturday afternoon of March 6, when I know that we will be well supported in Neath, just as we were when we defeated England there last season.”
In last week’s round of matches, England won 57-3 in Italy. Wales will meet England at Gloucester on March 19, when James Merriman will have a home game on the Kingsholm ground, having been outstanding in the victory over Scotland.
Team: 15 Matthew Nuthall (Pontypridd); 14 Ifan Evans (Llandovery), 13 Richard Payne (Newport), 12 Lee Thomas (Celtic Warriors), 11 Francesco Brillante (Cardiff); 10 Scott Macleod (Cardiff Blues), 9 Rhodri Wells (Swansea); 1 John Yapp (Cardiff Blues), 2 Huw Bennett (Ospreys), 3 Cai Griffiths (Neath), 4 Ian Evans (Pontypridd), 5 Luke Charteris (The Dragons), 6 James Merriman (Gloucester), 7 Richie Pugh (Ospreys, capt), 8 Richard Dale (Newport).
Replacements (*denotes uncapped): David Maddocks (Llanelli Scarlets), Keiran Crawford (Ebbw Vale), Nathan Williams (Llanelli Scarlets), *Jonathan Mills
(Bath), Matthew Jones (Ospreys), Richard Rees (Swansea), Gavin Evans
(Llanelli).
