Ireland easily beat Wales three weeks ago when both sides fielded mostly second-string teams, but this weekend's test promises to be a more serious affair, with Robbie Henshaw, Conor Murray and Peter O'Mahony also returning for the Six Nations champions.
Elsewhere, Dave Kearney and the versatile pair of Keith Earls and Luke Fitzgerald will be given chances to nail down places in Ireland's World Cup squad, their last chance to impress before coach Joe Schmidt names his 31-man squad for the tournament.
Competition for places is most intense in Ireland's back five, and wing Andrew Trimble, who limped off on his return from an eight-month injury layoff when the sides met in Cardiff, will be monitored playing for Ulster.
"We're still very open-minded. I know some of the players who play in their province are likely to be in the 31 and some of the players who are still with us are potentially going to miss out," Schmidt told a news conference.
"Those front-row decisions, the conundrum around the scrum half/outhalf [halfback and first five], and an obvious place is the back three, or even the back five," Schmidt said of the toughest calls.
"Any decisions that get made there will be based on performances this weekend. That's a real pressure cooker for players, but then again, that's what the World Cup is going to be."
Ireland's main injury worry, prop Cian Healy, is doing really well and may be able to play some part in the final warmup game against England next week, Schmidt said.
With regular backup at tighthead, Marty Moore, struggling with injury, Connacht's Nathan White will make his first international start.
Loosehead David Kilcoyne, one of the few fringe players who stood out in a stuttering win over Scotland last time out, will get a chance to impress off the bench.
The match will also be the last time O'Connell will play for Ireland on home soil before his retirement from international rugby after the World Cup.
Ireland: 15-Rob Kearney, 14-Dave Kearney, 13-Luke Fitzgerald, 12-Robbie Henshaw, 11-Keith Earls, 10-Jonathan Sexton, 9-Conor Murray, 8-Jamie Heaslip, 7-Jordi Murphy, 6-Peter O'Mahony, 5-Paul O'Connell (captain), 4-Iain Henderson, 3-Nathan White, 2-Richardt Strauss, 1-Jack McGrath.
Replacements: 16-Sean Cronin, 17-David Kilcoyne, 18-Tadhg Furlong, 19-Donnacha Ryan, 20-Sean O'Brien, 21-Eoin Reddan, 22-Paddy Jackson, 23-Felix Jones.
