Ireland and Wales will share the honour of kicking off the new Autumn Nations Cup on Friday evening in Dublin.

The new tournament involves eight teams, split into two groups. Pool A comprises England, Ireland, Wales and Georgia, Pool B is France, Scotland, Italy and Fiji.

Each team plays every other team in their group over three successive weekends to complete the pool stages.

Then the top-ranked team in Pool A plays the top-ranked team in Pool B, the second-ranked team in Pool A plays their equivalent in Pool B and so on for a final weekend of fixtures on the first weekend in December to decide the final placings.

Both Ireland and Wales are coming into this tournament in transition although the hosts are in a more encouraging position.

Ireland won each of their three Six Nations fixtures in Dublin, with an away defeat by England and then another in the French capital proving decisive on 31 October.

The 35-27 defeat in Paris at the end of October left Andy Farrell's side third in the final Six Nations table behind champions England and France.

Wales come into the competition struggling after five successive defeats under Wayne Pivac and their worst Six Nations performance since 2007 as the side have dropped to eighth in the world rankings.

They have lost five of six Tests since Pivac succeeded Warren Gatland after the 2019 World Cup.

A routine win against Italy on 1 February was followed by successive losses to Ireland, France, England, France again, then Scotland. Wales must go back to 2012 for the last time they went six games without a win.

This sorry situation has seen the departure this week of defence coach Byron Hayward, somebody who Pivac had worked with for six-and-a-half years with Scarlets and Wales.

Former Wales prop Gethin Jenkins has stepped up to take over defensive responsibilities just a few weeks after he had taken over from Sam Warburton as the breakdown technical advisor.
Team news

Leinster winger James Lowe makes his Ireland debut after the New Zealand-born player qualified through residency. The 28-year-old starts alongside Hugo Keenan and Jacob Stockdale in the back three.

Jamison Gibson-Park makes his first start at scrum-half while Ulster fly-half Billy Burns is in line to make his debut from the bench.

Ronan Kelleher returns from injury to start at hooker for Andy Farrell's men.

With the side showing seven changes from the Six Nations defeat by France, Kelleher replaces Ulster's Rob Herring at hooker with Iain Henderson coming back into the side after serving a suspension to start in the second row with James Ryan.

Caelan Doris retains his spot in the back row and will pack down at number eight along with flankers Peter O'Mahony and Josh van der Flier as Will Connors drops to the bench and CJ Stander misses out.

Flanker Justin Tipuric returns from illness in the only Wales change as coach Pivac reverts to the side initially picked against Scotland. The Ospreys back-rower was ruled out on the morning of that 14-10 defeat by tonsillitis.

Uncapped Bristol fly-half Callum Sheedy is on the bench, named in Wales' matchday squad for the first time alongside George North, who will become the youngest player to play 100 internationals if he comes on as a replacement.
View from both camps

Ireland captain Johnny Sexton: "This week is playing against a team that is a lot, lot better than their latest results have suggested.

"They've had a couple of tight games which haven't gone their way as well.

"It will be two teams that will be hurting a lot probably and it will be a really tough game on Friday.

"They will come out fighting."

Wales head coach Wayne Pivac: "We believe we can win whenever we take the field, against any opposition.

"The fact we haven't done that in a series of games now is not something we're comfortable with.

"We're working very hard and trying to eliminate the errors in our game that are putting us under pressure.

"This tournament is a fresh opportunity. We've talked about that. We're looking forward to it.

"Ireland away is a stiff challenge first up, but there is no better challenge to find out how much improvement we've made over the last two weeks."
Line-ups

Ireland: Jacob Stockdale; Hugo Keenan, Chris Farrell, Robbie Henshaw, James Lowe; Johnny Sexton (capt), Jamison Gibson-Park; Cian Healy, Ronan Kelleher, Andrew Porter, Ian Henderson, James Ryan, Peter O'Mahony, Josh van der Flier, Caelan Doris.

Replacements: Dave Heffernan, Ed Byrne, Finlay Bealham, Quinn Roux, Will Connors, Conor Murray, Billy Burns, Keith Earls.

Wales: Leigh Halfpenny; Liam Williams, Jonathan Davies, Owen Watkin, Josh Adams; Dan Biggar, Gareth Davies; Rhys Carre, Ryan Elias, Tomas Francis, Will Rowlands, Alun Wyn Jones (capt), Shane Lewis-Hughes, Justin Tipuric, Taulupe Faletau.

Replacements: Elliot Dee, Wyn Jones, Samson Lee, Jake Ball, Aaron Wainwright, Lloyd Williams, Callum Sheedy, George North.
Match facts

Head-to-head

Wales have not won in Dublin since August 2015.
Ireland have won their last three matches against Wales.
This is the 131st meeting between the sides. Wales have won 69 times and Ireland 54 with seven draws.
Ireland have won 31 of the 64 matches on Irish soil, with Wales claiming 28 victories and five draws.

Ireland

Ireland defeated Wales 24-14 in the Six Nations in February 2020.
James Lowe has scored 33 tries in 49 games for Leinster since joining from the Chiefs in New Zealand.
Uncapped Ulster fly-half Billy Burns could make his Ireland debut after brother Freddie has played for England.
Ireland captain Johnny Sexton will play his 100th international when he faces Wales with his 94th Ireland cap alongside his six British and Irish Lions Test appearances.

Wales

Captain Alun Wyn Jones will extend his world record by playing his 150th test match.
Prop Tomas Francis will win his 50th cap.
Wing George North will become the youngest player in history to play 100 international matches if he comes off the replacements bench. He will win his 97th Wales cap to go alongside three Lions appearances.
The Wales 23-man match-day squad boasts 1,089 caps worth of experience going into the Dublin date.

Match officials

Referee: Mathieu Raynal (France)

Touch judges: Pascal Gauzere & Alex Ruiz (France)

TMO: Romain Poite (France).