They have conceded a half-century of points in their last four visits to the Aviva Stadium, shipping 46 and 42 in the two before to make it an average of 51 in six encounters. Small wonder Italy’s head coach Gonzalo Quesada has said it is crucial his players stay lucid during the match.
Ireland have made six changes from the side that overwhelmed France in Marseille on the opening night of the tournament. Centre Stuart McCloskey and scrum-half Craig Casey are the two new faces behind while the inclusion of Finlay Bealham, James Ryan, Ryan Baird and Jack Conan means every area of the pack will have a new look.
Caelan Doris will captain the team from openside with Conan No.8. Josh van der Flier is on the bench along with Jamison Gibson-Park and Jordan Larmour, who has been plucked from the international wilderness nearly three years after winning the last of his 30 caps.
The Opta supercomputer has given Italy, who were whitewashed last season, a five per cent chance of defeating the Grand Slam champions. Their only victory over Ireland in the Six Nations came in Rome in 2013 when Iain Henderson, as he is today, was on the bench for the men in green, and their one success in Dublin came in 1997 when they were lobbying to make the Five Nations six.
Diese Geschichte stammt aus der February 11, 2024-Ausgabe von The Rugby Paper.
Starten Sie Ihre 7-tägige kostenlose Testversion von Magzter GOLD, um auf Tausende kuratierte Premium-Storys sowie über 8.000 Zeitschriften und Zeitungen zuzugreifen.
Bereits Abonnent ? Anmelden
Diese Geschichte stammt aus der February 11, 2024-Ausgabe von The Rugby Paper.
Starten Sie Ihre 7-tägige kostenlose Testversion von Magzter GOLD, um auf Tausende kuratierte Premium-Storys sowie über 8.000 Zeitschriften und Zeitungen zuzugreifen.
Bereits Abonnent? Anmelden
Morris hat-trick lifts Steelmen
HOOKER Ieuan Morris came off the bench to settle matters for Ebbw Vale at Carmarthen Quins with his stunning second half hat-trick completing a 39-11 victory in Super Rygbi Cymru.
Joe keen to follow in family footsteps
JOE Ford is leading the charge to take Doncaster Knights to the promised land but says they have a long way to go before that becomes reality.
Robson keen to make it to the top with Coventry
COVENTRY ended the first five-match block of fixtures as the Championship’s only unbeaten side and full-back Charlie Robson has his sights set on promotion, and eventually playing for England.
Hancox joins the 200 club
AFTER 10 years of donning the red, black and yellow shirt for Bournemouth, skipper Grant Hancox made his 200th appearance this month after their Regional 2 South Central clash against Winchester.
Bear keen to be a big hit Down Under
FORMER Cornish Pirates back row Bear Williams has flourished in making the difficult transition from rugby union to league and has plans to play in Australia’s NRL. `
To play in two World Cups was a dream
RUGBY started quite late for me.
Call time on this pantomime ploy
THIS 60-second shot clock twaddle. If we must continue to plough down this blind alley it needs to apply from the moment the referee awards the penalty. If the authorities are going to put some stick about at least do it properly and with conviction.
Coetzee's pulling his weight again
WHETHER he starts or comes off the bench, Jaco Coetzee is just happy to be contributing fully to Bath’s revival after an injury-hit start to his career in blue, black and white.
Murray's on a wing - and a prayer ...
BLAIR Murray began the week ‘in a state of shock’ at having gone from nowhere on one side of the world to the starting grid for the autumn Tests on the other.
We need to kick on after winning at last
Paul Rees talks to Ethan Grayson who heard from two rugby legends after he helped Newcastle end their 25-match losing run