Robbie Henshaw in action against Italy in Rome earlier this year. Pic: Sportsfile

Robbies italian job henshaw set for world cup debut on sunday

At the age of 22, Athlone's Robbie Henshaw will make his rugby World Cup debut on Sunday as Ireland face their toughest test to date against Italy.

The Coosan native and former Marist College student missed Ireland's two opening victories against Canada and Romania due to injury.

This afternoon (Friday) he was named in Joe Schmidt's team for the game against Italy in London's Olympic Stadium on Sunday afternoon.

It will be Henshaw's second time making his debut in a major tournament against Italy in 2015.

Earlier this year his first Six Nations start came against the Italians in Rome's Stadio Olimpico.

The Ireland team for Sunday is as follows:

15. Simon Zebo (Cork Constitution/Munster)
14. Tommy Bowe (Belfast Harlequins/Ulster)
13. Keith Earls (Young Munster/Munster)
12. Robbie Henshaw (Buccaneers/Connacht)
11. Dave Kearney (Lansdowne/Leinster)
10. Johnny Sexton (St Mary's College/Leinster)
9. Conor Murray (Garryowen/Munster)

1. Jack McGrath (St Mary's College/Leinster)
2. Rory Best (Banbridge/Ulster)
3. Mike Ross (Clontarf/Leinster)
4. Iain Henderson (Ballynahinch/Ulster)
5. Paul O'Connell (Young Munster) captain
6. Peter O'Mahony (Cork Constitution/Munster)
7. Sean O'Brien (UCD/Leinster)
8. Jamie Heaslip (Dublin University/Leinster)

Replacements
16. Sean Cronin (St. Mary's College/Leinster)
17. Cian Healy (Clontarf/Leinster)
18. Nathan White (Connacht)
19. Devin Toner (Lansdowne/Leinster)
20. Chris Henry (Malone/Ulster)
21. Eoin Reddan (Old Crescent/Leinster)
22. Ian Madigan (Blackrock College/Leinster)
23. Luke Fitzgerald (Blackrock College/Leinster)