It will be Healy’s 105th cap for Ireland and his 14 against Wales (7 wins, 6 defeats). He is one of five players in the Irish line-up who featured in their last win in Cardiff in the Championship back in 2013.
Conor Murray, Peter O’Mahony, Johnny Sexton and Keith Earls are the others.
Former Scarlets lock Tadhg Beirne packs down in the second row behind Healy alongside James Ryan with Peter O’Mahony, Josh van der Flier and CJ Stander joining forces in the back row.
Skipper Sexton has recovered from a hamstring strain to lead the side in what will be his 12th Championship. He will take his Test tally for Ireland and the British & Irish Lions up to 102 as he wins his 96th cap in green.
Sexton’s side shows six changes from the side that beat Wales 32-9 at the Aviva Stadium on 13 November, 2020, in the Autumn Nations Cup to make it four wins in a row over Wales.
The Leinster duo of Garry Ringrose and Robbie Henshaw team up once again in midfield in the starting XV for the first time since the quarter-final of the 2019 Rugby World Cup.
Another Leinster back-line star, Kiwi born James Lowe, will make his Six Nations debut on the wing.
Lions tighthead prop Tadhg Furlong, who returned to Leinster colours after a year long absence at Parc Y Scarlets last weekend, is named among the replacements.
Ireland head coach Andy Farrell said: “The boys are very familiar with everyone who is in the Welsh squad. They play against them all of the time.
“We know what top performers they can be when they are under pressure. They are an experienced side, who have been in both good, and difficult, positions before.
“Within the two camps, we know the truth; that it is going to be a war of attrition. We have not won there since 2013 which says a lot and we are expecting Wales to be 100 per cent at their best. We have played them at their best before and come unstuck. So we will plan accordingly.
“It doesn’t really matter what goes on in the papers, or in the news, in the coming days the game will still be the same. Both teams will kick off, try and get into the ascendancy, try and get a foothold in the game, through the areas that does that for them, set-piece, physicality or line-speed. Once that whistle goes, the game is just the same. It means a lot to both sides. It will be a tough old battle.”
IRELAND
15. Hugo Keenan (Leinster) 6
14. Keith Earls (Munster) 88
13. Garry Ringrose (Leinster) 30
12. Robbie Henshaw (Leinster) 47
11. James Lowe (Leinster) 2
10. Jonathan Sexton (Leinster) (capt) 95
9. Conor Murray (Munster) 87
1. Cian Healy (Leinster) 104
2. Rob Herring (Ulster) 16
3. Andrew Porter (Leinster) 32
4. Tadhg Beirne (Munster) 17
5. James Ryan (Leinster) 32
6. Peter O’Mahony (Munster) 73
7. Josh van der Flier (Leinster) 28
8. CJ Stander (Munster) 46
Replacements
16. Ronan Kelleher (Leinster) 6
17. Dave Kilcoyne (Munster) 39
18. Tadhg Furlong (Leinster) 44
19. Iain Henderson (Ulster) 58
20. Will Connors (Leinster) 5
21. Jamison Gibson Park (Leinster) 5
22. Billy Burns (Ulster) 3
23. Jordan Larmour (Leinster) 24
