Italy v Ireland

[Donny B.]

The Ireland team to play Italy in the RBS 6 Nations Championship this Saturday has been named. The side shows two changes to the starting line-up from the last outing, with both changes coming in the back-line.
Craig Gilroy, who missed the game against France with a groin strain, returns on the right wing in place of Fergus McFadden who is unavailable due to a rib injury.

Jonathan Sexton also returns to the team to start at out-half after missing the past two matches due to a hamstring injury, with Paddy Jackson moving to the replacements bench in place of Ian Madigan.

There are also further changes among the replacements with Devin Toner coming into the matchday squad in place of Donncha O'Callaghan.

Paul Marshall is the reserve scrum half, one of two players who come make their debuts off the bench - the other being replacement prop Stephen Archer.

IRELAND Team & Replacements (v Italy, 2013 RBS 6 Nations Championship, Stadio Olimpico, Rome, Saturday, March 16, kick-off 3.30pm local time/2.30pm Irish time):

Club/Province/International Caps -

15 - Rob Kearney (UCD/Leinster/45)
14 - Craig Gilroy (Dungannon/Ulster/4)
13 - Brian O'Driscoll (UCD/Leinster/124)
12 - Luke Marshall (Ballymena/Ulster/2)
11 - Keith Earls (Young Munster/Munster/38)
10 - Jonathan Sexton (St. Mary's College/Leinster/36)
9 - Conor Murray (Garryowen/Munster/18)
1 - Cian Healy (Clontarf/Leinster/38)
2 - Rory Best (Banbridge/Ulster/66)
3 - Mike Ross (Clontarf/Leinster/28)
4 - Mike McCarthy (Buccaneers/Connacht/9)
5 - Donnacha Ryan (Shannon/Munster/27)
6 - Peter O'Mahony (Cork Constitution/Munster/13)
7 - Sean O'Brien (UCD/Leinster/26)
8 - Jamie Heaslip (Dublin University/Leinster/56) (capt)

Replacements:

16 - Sean Cronin (St. Mary's College/Leinster/25)
17 - David Kilcoyne (UL Bohemians/Munster/6)
18 - Stephen Archer (Cork Constitution/Munster) *
19 - Devin Toner (Lansdowne/Leinster/4)
20 - Iain Henderson (Ballynahinch/Ulster/4)
21 - Paul Marshall (Belfast Harlequins/Ulster) *
22 - Paddy Jackson (Dungannon/Ulster/2)
23 - Luke Fitzgerald (Blackrock College/Leinster/25)

* Denotes uncapped player

[Logorrhea]

Thought it looked odd when DOC came on for Ryan against France. The second row looked poorly balanced so I can see why Dev was brought in.

Surprised that both BOD and Marshall made it in the centre but the rest of the selection is to be expected.

[Dexter]

It's all a bit "meh" at this stage.

[Logorrhea]

Yep. Actually would have preferred to see Jackson at 10 again. He/We may actually learn a bit more about him as a result.

[ceemec]

Thought it looked odd when DOC came on for Ryan against France. The second row looked poorly balanced so I can see why Dev was brought in.

The final line out after 78 minutes when nobody was put in the air and Reddan had to dive on a bobbling ball and we lost about 8 yards was a farce. It showed the value of someone who is used to running a line out. I can only assume Ryan isn't fully fit and they think they might need to take him off.

[Broken Wing]

Madigan travelling with the squad as a precaution. Jonny went over on his ankle in training this morning but is expected to be fine.

[flustered]

Madigan on the bench, Sexton has ligament damage to his foot

[ceemec]

Madigan travelling with the squad as a precaution. Jonny went over on his ankle in training this morning but is expected to be fine.

Until 10 minutes ago. DK just didn't know the extent in the press conference. Torn tendon.

http://www.irishrugby.ie/news/28669.php

[Broken Wing]

Ah FFS.

[kendalgerty]

Typical of the series really. A bit of a mess from first to last.

[flustered]

out for up to a month!!!

[Donny B.]

Depressing. Sums it up though. I wonder if we'll even see him for Leinster again at this stage.

[Hickiefan]

Ah jaysus! FFS!

[simonokeeffe]

NO CASTRO

Andrea Masi; Giovanbattista Venditti, Gonzalo Canale, Gonzalo Garcia, Luke McLean; Luciano Orquera, Edoardo Gori; Sergio Parisse (capt), Simone Favaro, Alessandro Zanni; Joshua Furno, Quintin Geldenhuys; Leonardo Cittadini, Leonardo Ghiraldini, Andrea Lo Cicero

Replacements: Davide Giazzon, Michele Rizzo, Alberto De Marchi, Antonio Pavanello, Francesco Minto, Paul Derbyshire, Tobias Botes, Tommaso Benvenuti

[goreyguy]

Leonardo Cittadini was excellent when he came on last week for castro

[limecat]

Leonardo Cittadini was excellent when he came on last week for castro

Thought their scrum was struggling until that point. Cittadini really seemed to shore things up for them.

[ceemec]

Castro is overrated. Does well when he's in the mood. He's more likely to concede penalties, get involved in off the ball stuff and be average though.

[simonokeeffe]

He's awesome in the loose and is one of their spiritual leaders, it weakens the squad at least

[PCASEY]

He's awesome in the loose and is one of their spiritual leaders, it weakens the squad at least

this is not where this team belongs, Im not criticising the comment but the sequence of events that has led us to the place where we cant but think this way. this game should have had us asking who of our starting 15 would be starting for the lions, which of them will captain the lions, who would have been player of the tournament, even asking 'can we score enough points to win the tournament' should have fealt like a let down. But no, after all the time, effort and commitment of the players our hopes of victory at the weekend lie in the opposition being weakened...

Come in Uncle Deccie, you've brought this team as far as we're going to let you....

[ceemec]

He's awesome in the loose and is one of their spiritual leaders, it weakens the squad at least

He has made a total of 13m with the ball in hand in this 6N. Cian Healy made more tackles against Wales than Castro has in the entire tournament. He's known as a serious scrummager too but rarely dominates anyone in truth. I've watched him closely over the last couple of seasons and just cannot fathom where the reputation of being world class has come from.