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Keith Wood has sustained a back injury and will play no part in Ireland’s Six Nations match against Italy at Lansdowne Road on Saturday. Wood had only last week recovered from the calf injury that has kept him out of the championship up to now.
Wood played 80 minutes for his club Harlequins at the weekend but the Ireland management team do not believe the inspirational hooker has come out of that game 100 per cent fit and ready for a competitive international.
Wood is expected to be fit in time to play for Harlequins the weekend after this - one week before Ireland’s Six Nations trip away to France.
Shane Byrne, who has come off the bench in Ireland’s last two championship matches, will start in his place. Wood’s original deputy, Frank Sheahan struggled badly against Scotland and England but is, nevertheless, named on the bench.
With Kevin Maggs still nursing a broken arm, Shane Horgan is as expected switched from right wing to inside centre. In accordance, John Kelly has, somewhat surprisingly, been drafted in ahead of Tyrone Howe to fill the gap on the wide right. Howe is named among the substitutes.
Up front, coach Eddie O’Sullivan has opted for Gary Longwell - ahead of Paul O’Connell - to partner Malcom O’Kelly in the second row. Longwell - replacing veteran Mick Galwey - gets the nod on the basis that he has played more games than O’Connell in recent weeks.
O’Connell missed the defeat to England after suffering concussion in his senior international debut against Wales and was then cruelly forced out of the Scotland match when a tooth abscess required surgery a week before the game.
Simon Easterby scored a try against Scotland after coming off the bench and is rewarded with a start at blindside. He replaces Eric Miller.
Outhalf David Humphries will captain the side for the first time in a championship game. The Ulster man has captained the national side against the Barbarians.
"We are expected to win and to win well, but, Italy are a good side and if we play like we did against England it will be a long afternoon," said Humphries.
Speaking at a press conference this lunchtime, coach Eddie O'Sullivan said that the personnel changes were "very tight calls", adding that it was "just a case of horses for courses."
Italy have proved the whipping boys of the Six Nations championship in the last few years but, nevertheless, O'Sullivan remains focused on the task at hand.
"I’d never take them (Italy) for granted. They were unlucky with a sin-bining against France and acquitted themselves well against Scotland," he said.
"If you give them the opportunity to mess you around they will."
"They play territorial rugby very well and can hold onto the ball and force you into mistakes. That's a good way to play rugby and we will be under no illusions on Saturday," he said.
Reflecting on Ireland's victory over Scotland three weeks ago O'Sullivan said: "The performance wasn't vintage, it was a weird game. . . we didn't get into our phase attack and that’s something we have been working on."
"We’ve worked a bit on our lineout and we have put a few fixes in. We are relatively happy at this stage."
IRELAND:15-Girvan Dempsey; 14-John Kelly, 13-Brian O'Driscoll, 12-Shane Horgan, 11-Denis Hickie; 10-David Humphreys (captain), 9-Peter Stringer; 8-Anthony Foley, 7-David Wallace, 6-Simon Easterby, 5-Malcolm O'Kelly, 4-Gary Longwell, 3-John Hayes, 2-Shane Byrne, 1-Peter Clohessy.
Replacements:16-Frank Sheahan, 17-Paul Wallace, 18-Paul O'Connell, 19-Eric Miller, 20-Guy Easterby, 21-Ronan O'Gara, 22-Tyrone Howe.