GO BIG OR GO ROME

Wallace: We need in-form players to kickstart our campaign and see off the much improved Italians

- BY DEREK FOLEY

DAVID WALLACE has warned Ireland against wholesale changes as they prepare to face Italy this weekend.

Though the former Garryowen star, who shone while playing at No6, 7 and 8 with Ireland and Munster, accepts the Ireland lineup needs some adjusting.

Wallace believes the back-row personnel of Caelan Doris, Josh van der Flier, Cian Prendergast, Tadhg Beirne, Nick Timoney and Jack Conan, who played in the defeat to France, should face Italy.

But he would tweak things: “I just think Nick Timoney has a nudge on Josh van der Flier at the moment, a physical nudge on him and I’d like to see him start.” said Wallace.

“I’d like to see Jack Conan start and, yeah, Caelan Doris but for me, I’d like to see Conan maybe go at No.8 and Doris No.6.”

“Timoney was brilliant last Thursday, to come on in a game like that and actually make a difference and force a change makes a difference. He is the power athlete there at the moment, a different type of player to van der Flier.

“There's few guys that can carry like him and maybe you could even slot him in for a couple of scrums and have him carry off the back the odd time and get some go-forward.

“It would also give van der Flier, who has been one of the first names on the team sheet the last couple of years, a rest. Sometimes you need that little spark under you and get someone breathing down your neck to kind of bring your big game on.”

At the same time, Wallace agrees with Ronan O’Gara’ assertion van der Flier got through a lot of unseen work in Paris.