IRELAND have suffered further injury blows for the Six Nations opener with Wales – but Rob Howley expects the absence of key players to fire up the hosts in Dublin.

Coach Joe Schmidt headed into this week without props Cian Healy and Mike Ross, lock Iain Henderson, flankers Peter O’Mahony and Chris Henry and wings Tommy Bowe and Luke Fitzgerald while the national squad are also getting to grips with life without talisman Paul O’Connell following his retirement from the Test scene.

And the Irish suffered two fresh blows when full-back Rob Kearney and all-action flanker Sean O’Brien were ruled out of the opener by hamstring problems.

Munster’s CJ Stander will make his Test debut at blindside with Tommy O’Donnell at openside while Simon Zebo shifts to full-back.

Only new skipper Rory Best, vice captain Jamie Heaslip and Devin Toner have retained their starting berths up front from Ireland's 43-20 World Cup quarter-final defeat to Argentina.

Schmidt has restored his preferred midfield partnership of Robbie Henshaw and Jared Payne, refusing the temptation to pitch bullish Ulster centre Stuart McCloskey in for a Test debut. Keith Earls partners Andrew Trimble on the wings.

The champions have a glut of problems but Wales attack coach Howley expects that to provide them with extra motivation.

“What we went through in the World Cup in terms of injuries and how the players adapted and applied themselves, I have no doubt Ireland will do the same. It gives you are stronger belief to prove other people wrong,” he said.

Ireland: S Zebo (Munster), A Trimble (Ulster), J Payne (Ulster), R Henshaw (Connacht), K Earls (Munster), J Sexton (Leinster), C Murray (Munster), J McGrath (Leinster), R Best (Ulster, captain), N White (Connacht), D Toner, M McCarthy (both Leinster), CJ Stander, T O'Donnell (both Munster), J Heaslip (Leinster).

Replacements: S Cronin (Leinster), J Cronin (Munster), T Furlong (Leinster), D Ryan (Munster), R Ruddock (Leinster), K Marmion (Connacht), I Madigan, D Kearney (both Leinster).