Keith Earls has been handed the task of replacing Brian O'Driscoll at centre for the RBS Six Nations opener against Wales on Sunday.
The debate over who should start at centre has been hotly debated since O'Driscoll announced that he would miss the entire championship in order to undergo shoulder surgery, although Declan Kidney admitted last week he was almost certain who he would name alongside Gordon D'Arcy.
Earls is familiar with the position after starting at outside centre for the World Cup Pool C clash against Russian in September and he will take his place alongside D'Arcy with Andrew Trimble coming into the team on the left wing.
Kidney has elected to name a fit-again Jonathan Sexton ahead of Ronan O'Gara at fly-half with Conor Murray starting alongside him in the half-back line, while Rob Kearney takes his place at full-back.
In all there are three changes to the side that lined out against Wales in the World Cup quarter-final with Donncha O'Callaghan getting the nod to start alongside captain Paul O'Connell.
Unsurprisingly Cian Healy continues at looshead with Mike Ross starting at tighthed, while while Stephen Ferris, Sean O'Brien and Jamie Heaslip start in the back-row.
The uncapped Peter O'Mahony has been named among the replacements alongside Sean Cronin, Tim Court, Donnacha Ryan. Eoin Reddan, O'Gara and Fergus McFadden.
Ireland (XV v Wales): R Kearney; T Bowe, K Earls, G D'Arcy, A Trimble; J Sexton, C Murray; C Healy, R Best, M Ross, D O'Callaghan, P O'Connell, S Ferris, S O'Brien, J Heaslip.
Replacements: S Cronin, T Court, D Ryan, P O'Mahony, E Reddan, R O'Gara, F McFadden.