CJ Stander will make his Ireland debut against Wales on Sunday but the defending Six Nations champions are without injured pair Sean O'Brien and Rob Kearney.
Munster captain Stander, who qualified for Ireland on residency grounds last November, starts at blindside flanker as Joe Schmidt makes nine changes to the team beaten by Argentina in the World Cup quarter-finals.
O'Brien has been ruled out with a hamstring injury so Tommy O'Donnell comes in at openside for his first Ireland appearance since suffering a World Cup-ending injury against Wales on August 8.
Kearney also misses out due to a hamstring problem but Schmidt has resisted starting Jared Payne at full-back, instead handing the No 15 jersey to Simon Zebo.
"Sean O'Brien would have been just on the edge of being available to play," said Ireland head coach Schmidt. "But we'd have no concerns about next week for France.
"Rob Kearney should be fully fit at the latest by Thursday next week, but his is a very minor strain that should see him right to train on Tuesday.
"CJ Stander is a really committed character and I hope he's ready to step up. We felt he would make it a good mix in the absence of Sean O'Brien."
Payne renews his centre partnership with Robbie Henshaw, with Keith Earls moving to the left wing and Andrew Trimble returning on the right after missing out on World Cup selection.
In the front row, Jack McGrath and Nathan White pack down either side of captain Rory Best, while Leinster duo Devin Toner and Mike McCarthy are selected in the second row.
There are also five Leinster players named on the bench including Ian Madigan and Dave Kearney, who are preferred to Paddy Jackson and the uncapped Stuart McCloskey. Connacht's Kieran Marmion provides cover at scrum-half.
Ireland: 15 Simon Zebo, 14 Andrew Trimble, 13 Jared Payne, 12 Robbie Henshaw, 11 Keith Earls, 10 Jonathan Sexton, 9 Conor Murray; 1 Jack McGrath, 2 Rory Best (c), 3 Nathan White, 4 Devin Toner, 5 Mike McCarthy, 6 CJ Stander, 7 Tommy O'Donnell, 8 Jamie Heaslip.
Replacements: 16 Sean Cronin, 17 James Cronin, 18 Tadhg Furlong, 19 Donnacha Ryan, 20 Rhys Ruddock, 21 Kieran Marmion, 22 Ian Madigan, 23 Dave Kearney.