With three weeks until Ireland's first test in South Africa since 2004, Joe Schmidt will have a fair idea on the vast majority of his 32-man squad.
The head coach will name his squad this Wednesday, hoping for the all-clear on players with a few knocks.
Both Peter O'Reilly and Brendan Fanning are reporting in the Sunday papers today that there will be changes to Schmidt's squad for the three-test tour. These changes won't necessarily be met with universal approval from Irish fans.
Let's get to the positive stuff first. It looks highly likely that Stuart Olding's return from his latest long-term injury will be enough to bring him into the squad. Olding is a highly talented and versatile player. His emergence is bad news for Ian Madigan. His chances of touring were always going to be limited with his impending departure to Bordeaux - but he had been the second choice ahead of Paddy Jackson despite Jackson's career season. But now that Olding fulfills Madigan's versatility requirements - and under pressure to only play players who will be in Ireland next season - Madigan looks to be the first high profile casualty. Olding's inclusion will also impact on another Ulster centre - both Fanning and O'Reilly think that Stuart McCloskey will miss out on a place in the squad.
Leinster's Garry Ringrose has been a revelation this season, and the vast majority of fans want the next incarnation of Brian O'Driscoll to be fast tracked into the national set-up. There is an argument that throwing Ringrose to the Bulls of the Springboks isn't the best way to develop him - and it appears that Schmidt agrees. Both papers have Luke Marshall's renaissance getting the Ulster centre into the squad ahead of Ringrose.
The final big shout is in the front row. Ireland are still overly reliant on 36-year-old tighthead Mike Ross - but his old back-up Marty Moore seems to have fallen away. With Nathan White ruled out, the emergence of Finlay Bealham and Tadhg Furlong; combined with Moore's move to Wasps has ruled against Marty.
Probable Squad:
Rob Kearney, Dave Kearney, Andrew Trimble, Keith Earls, Luke Fitzgerald.
Robbie Henshaw, Jared Payne, Stuart Olding, Luke Marshall.
Conor Murray, Kieran Marmion, Eoin Reddan, Johnny Sexton, Paddy Jackson.
Rory Best, Richardt Strauss, Sean Cronin, Jack McGrath, Dave Kilcoyne, Mike Ross, Tadhg Furlong, Finlay Bealham.
Devin Toner, Iain Henderson, Donnacha Ryan, Ultan Dillane.
CJ Stander, Rhys Ruddock, Jamie Heaslip, Jordi Murphy, Tommy O'Donnell, Chris Henry.
[Sunday Times]
See Also: Ireland's 2019 World Cup Squad Looks Very Different After The 2016 Six Nations
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