Ireland refuse to gamble on Johnny Sexton for Six Nations clash with Italy in Rome
Joe Schmidt has resisted the urge to make wholesale changes to his Ireland team to face Italy, sticking with 13 of the 15 players who produced such a disappointing first-half performance against Scotland at Murrayfield last Saturday and challenging them to do much better.
Donnacha Ryan, in for the injured Iain Henderson in the second row, and Cian Healy, who has replaced Leinster colleague Jack McGrath at loosehead in a tactical switch, are the only changes for the game at the Stadio Olimpico.
Ireland allowed Scotland to score three tries in the first 25 minutes of last weekend’s game at Murrayfield. Despite recovering from 21-8 down at half-time to lead 22-21, Ireland were unable to complete the comeback, with Schmidt claiming that they failed to adapt fully to the late arrival of their bus at Murrayfield.
“I have challenged them for a better start in Italy,” he said. “It’s incredibly disappointing the way we started last weekend. I don’t think it was apathy, there was a bit of anxiety at not having had the full period to warm up.
“Players get anxious, they get very routine-based and I do think it’s a challenge for a professional player that they can be adaptable in different circumstances, so they can still start well and cope.”
He added: “They scored three tries in those first 25 minutes, then didn’t score another try after that. That reflects what the team were capable of, but then you’re chasing things. So we’ve given them that challenge this week, and hopefully we see a better start.”
With Jonathan Sexton still out with a calf injury, Ulster’s Paddy Jackson remains at fly-half with Ian Keatley providing cover from the bench.
In the back row, Schmidt has kept faith in big hitters C J Stander, Sean O’Brien and Jamie Heaslip despite the trio being overrun in the first half at Murrayfield.
At lock, Ryan, who has been in stunning form for Munster, should help to shore up a line-out that creaked at times last weekend. “Donnacha is a real technician in that area and he’s got a good work-rate. Those two things we are going to need,” Schmidt added.
In the front row, Schmidt described Healy’s inclusion in place of McGrath as “rotational”. “It was something we had planned to do,” said the Ireland coach. “One plays 50 [minutes] and one 30 and vice versa. They both get 80 minutes over the first two weekends.”
Schmidt revealed that Henderson had picked up a “slight [hamstring] strain” on Tuesday. Schmidt added that wing Andrew Trimble had been “so close” to being declared fit, but said he had chosen to stick with Keith Earls and Simon Zebo out wide with Tommy Bowe being released to play for Ulster against Edinburgh.
Ulster’s Craig Gilroy will provide the wing cover from the bench instead.
Sergio Parisse will start for Italy after shaking off a neck injury with new head coach Conor O’Shea warning anyone tempted to write off his team following their 33-7 defeat by Wales that they should not be taken too lightly.
“Some people might laugh, some won’t agree with me, but in two or three years we will be a very good team,” the former Ireland international said. “It would be easy to look at last week’s result and say, 'It’s the same old Italy’: I can guarantee that it is not.
“We face a mountain to climb for 80 minutes, so I hope we’re ready for a big game this weekend.”
Team details
Italy XV: E Padovani (Zebre); A Esposito (Treviso), T Benvenuti (Treviso), L McLean (Treviso), G Venditti (Zebre); C Canna (Zebre), E Gori (Treviso); A Lovotti (Zebre), L Ghiraldini (Toulouse), L Cittadini (Bayonne), M Fuser (Treviso), D van Schalkwyk (Zebre), M Mbanda (Zebre), S Favaro (Glasgow), S Parisse (Stade Francais, capt).
Replacements: O Gega (Treviso), S Panico (Calvisano), D Chistolini (Zebre), G Biagi (Zebre), A Steyn (Treviso), G Bronzini (Treviso), T Allan (Treviso), M Campagnaro (Exeter).
Ireland XV: R Kearney (Leinster); K Earls (Munster), G Ringrose, R Henshaw (both Leinster), S Zebo (Munster); P Jackson (Ulster), C Murray (Munster); C Healy (Leinster), R Best (Ulster, capt), T Furlong (Leinster), D Ryan (Munster), D Toner (Leinster), CJ Stander (Munster), S O'Brien, J Heaslip (both Leinster).
Replacements: N Scannell (Munster), J McGrath (Leinster), J Ryan (Munster), U Dillane (Connacht), J Van der Flier (Leinster), K Marmion (Connacht), I Keatley (Munster), C Gilroy (Ulster).
Six Nations 2017 fixtures, dates, kick-off times and TV schedule