It looks like Joe Schmidt is going to have to wait until the French clash before he can open out the full bag of tricks and pick his first choice starting XV. Robbie Henshaw has been the main absence so far but just when he returns to full fitness, Schmidt has been forced to plan without Jared Payne and Rob Kearney this weekend.
Neither player is expected to be out for very long but Joe Schmidt is nothing if not consistent and we keep hearing that if you don't train all week then you don't play at the weekend. Once again that's the case and neither Payne nor Kearney will be risked against the Italians.
So who's going to come in? Simon Zebo is expected to remain at full back while it looks like Tommy Bowe will be given another chance to impress from the wing with Keith Earls being shifted into the centre.
The only other contentious selection issue for the Ireland boss is whether to give Cian Healy another run out from the start against Italy or revert back to Jack McGrath. This is the one selection decision that's mostly been kept under wraps so we'll hedge our bets on this one and wait to see what Joe has to say when he names his team later in the day.
Possible Ireland team to face Italy:
15. Zebo
14. Bowe
13. Earls
12. Henshaw
11. D Kearney
10. Sexton
9. Murray
1. Healy/McGrath
2. Best
3. Ross
4. Henderson
5. O’Connell (capt)
6. O’Mahony
7. O’Brien
8. Heaslip
