Ireland wait on injured Dempsey

RUGBY/Six Nations Championship News: Looking a little frayed around the edges and still recovering from their considerable exertions in Edinburgh last Sunday, a slightly weary Irish squad completed their turnaround in Dublin this week and head off to Rome today for a second successive away international on Saturday with doubts prevailing about the exact starting line-up to play Italy in the Stadio Flaminio.

Given the unprecedented rigours of their start to the Six Nations, it was never likely that they would name back-to-back unchanged sides. Sure enough, in addition to Brett Sinkinson's studs still leaving an imprint on both Ronan O'Gara's ankle and his season, Girvan Dempsey's groin problems render him doubtful.

A decision as to his fitness will not be made until tomorrow in Rome. The full back has been dogged for the last couple of months by groin problems, which resurfaced after Sunday's game in Edinburgh and limited his participation in training yesterday, when Geordan Murphy filled in at full back for much of the run-out.

If Dempsey is ruled out, Murphy will move to full back with John Kelly playing on the right wing. But if Dempsey is passed fit, Murphy will play on the right and Rob Henderson will remain on the bench, and so Kelly would miss out altogether. Kelly will travel with the squad to Rome today, but as the A game is in Rovigo, he has not been included in their plans.

"He (Girvan) finished the game with no problem but on Sunday night his groin got sore again," explained Eddie O'Sullivan yesterday. "It's an injury he sustained in the European Cup against Bristol when he came off after15 minutes, and again on Monday it was quite sore. We expected it to be better than it is today so because of that we're taking the precaution of bringing John Kelly with us. We'll give it another couple of days to see how it goes."

O'Sullivan admitted they had been quite confident O'Gara would have been okay, "but last night he had a reaction to training which you often get with these injuries.

"Again, not to take any risks with him, David Humphreys is starting with Paul Burke on the bench."

With Henderson also promoted to the squad in light of the injury to Shane Horgan, the ripple effect sees a number of changes to the A team which drew with Scotland last Saturday night.

David Quinlan comes in at centre and Ted Robinson on the wing, while the fit-again Jeremy Davidson nudges Mick O'Driscoll out of the second row and, in turn, Bob Casey off the bench, which is supplemented by the promotion of Mossy Lawlor.

The demands and intensity of a Six Nations' Test requires three or four days to recuperate from, and two travel days in between matches just six days apart is not designed to aid that recovery.

Then there's the Italians themselves, replenished by an extra 24 hours' rest, sitting back in Rome and salivating at the prospect of a crack at Ireland with the pressure of a 14-match losing sequence removed and the confidence generated by that overdue but handsomely deserved win over Wales.

Even allowing for his tendency to build up the opposition in advance, O'Sullivan's assertions about the Azzurri were entirely valid.

"I'm sure Wales will be disappointed with their performance but I think Wales played about as well as they were allowed," maintained O'Sullivan. "It's a very different Italian team. I think they have retained the strength of the set-piece that obviously Brad Johnstone brought to the team. I think John Kirwan has added another few strings to their bow, and they're a lot more structured in their attack.

"They've got a very big midfield and they've an exceptionally strong back row when you consider they can put one of the best number sevens in the Northern Hemisphere on the wing and still retain a very strong back-row combination.

"They're very good with ball in hand, and I think the other aspect of their game that has improved dramatically is that their defensive system is now much more organised and very aggressive in the tackle, and I think their discipline has improved dramatically. They're not giving away penalties, which was probably hurting them a lot in the Six Nations. So by and large you'd have to say Italy are probably one of the most improved teams in the Six Nations over the last couple of years," said O'Sullivan.

With regard to Italy's starting team, the Irish coach had speculated that Mirco Bergamasco, an effective first-half replacement at full back against Wales, would retain his place, though in the event somewhat surprisingly John Kirwan has kept faith in last Saturday's starting line-up, leaving the younger Bergamasco on the bench and his brother as a converted right wing.

This means that the 32-year-old Paolo Vaccari remains at full back, with Giovanni Raineri staying in midfield, despite the latter sustaining a head injury against Wales which forced his withdrawal. Furthermore, the Italian defensive line seemed a good deal less porous after that enforced change, as previously the Welsh centre Tom Shanklin had been cutting through freely.

There is one change on the Italian bench, with 21-year-old Calvisano prop Leandro Castrogiovanni being promoted in place of Salvatore Perugini.

Interest in Italy has been heightened by their win over Wales, and in contrast to the 15,000 attendance then, Saturday's visit of Ireland and, for the first time, Brian O'Driscoll, is expected to generate nearer a 22,000 sell-out.