Gareth Thomas has been ruled out through injury so Owen takes over the Captain's armband.
Fellow Dragons team mates Hal Luscombe and Ian Gough keep their places in the starting XV for the match.
Thomas is replaced by Scarlets fullback Lee Byrne while Shane Williams will also miss the trip to Dublin after he failed to recover from a dead leg. Dafydd James takes his place in the team.
On the replacements bench Jonathan Thomas, Gavin Henson and Barry Davies replace Adam M Jones, Nicky Robinson and Byrne respectively.
Wales Team
15 Lee Byrne (Llanelli Scarlets)
14 Mark Jones (Llanelli Scarlet)
13 Hal Luscombe (Newport-Gwent Dragons)
12 Matthew Watkins (Llanelli Scarlets)
11 Dafydd James (Llanelli Scarlets)
10 Stephen Jones (Clermont-Auvergne)
9 Dwayne Peel (Llanelli Scarlets)
1 Duncan Jones (Ospreys)
2 Rhys Thomas (Cardiff Blues)
3 Adam Jones (Ospreys)
4 Ian Gough (Newport-Gwent Dragons)
5 Robert Sidoli (Cardiff Blues)
6 Colin Charvis (Newcastle Falcons)
7 Martyn Williams (Cardiff Blues)
8 Michael Owen (Captain, Newport-Gwent Dragons)
Replacements
16 Mefin Davies (Gloucester)
17 Gethin Jenkins (Cardiff Blues)
18 Jonathan Thomas (Ospreys)
19 Gareth Delve (Bath Rugby)
20 Michael Phillips (Cardiff Blues)
21 Gavin Henson (Ospreys)
22 Barry Davies (Llanelli Scarlets)
