Jared Payne return leaves midfield quandry for Joe Schmidt

What's interesting this Saturday against Italy is who Joe Schmidt selects in the centre beside Robbie Henshaw. Stuart McCloskey and Jared Payne have rarely be used in an Ulster midfield so the likelihood is one of them will partner Henshaw with the other possibly missing out on the squad altogether.

"We'll see what happens," said Andrew Trimble. "Obviously Jared gives us another option in the midfield and is a quality player. I have played with him for a few years now.

“Obviously you have got two contrasting styles between Jared and Stu so it’s just what sort of rugby Joe wants to play. But plenty of options there anyway.

“In typical Stuart style, a big step up like that, Twickenham against England, and he took it is his stride. He is very confident and knows what he is capable of producing on the pitch. I think there is more to come from him as well.”

Frustration being the overriding tone among the Ireland camp in Carton House, Italy are not the ideal opponents.

“Pretty frustrating, pretty disappointing,” said Trimble of defeats in Paris and at Twickenham. “We are trying to be as positive as possible as we are creating opportunities but we are just not converting them, not getting over the line.

“There is pressure coming from the press, supporters and coaches but for ourselves there is a lot of pride to play for. We want to go out and give a good account of ourselves. We have shown glimpses of it but we just haven’t produced it for 80 minutes yet. We have let a couple of results slip by.

“We will make sure everything is set up for Italy at the weekend to give it a good go.”

Trimble's presence at Monday's press conference - taking Ireland at face value - indicates the Ulster winger will hold his place ahead of Simon Zebo against Italy on Saturday.

Munster backrowers Jack O’Donoghue and Tommy O’Donnell, despite a shoulder stinger, have also joined the squad while Payne has been give a clean bill of health following a hamstring tear.

But the presence of Josh van der Flier, along with fellow first cappers in Twickenham Utan Dillane and McCloskey, keeps the selection interesting.

“It’s a good buzz to have a combination of a few experienced players with one or two young fellas coming in. Big Stu’, Josh and Ultan all gave really good accounts of themselves and all of a sudden we have three new internationals there who are really going hard at it. All at the top of their game. It just creates more camaraderie, competition for places and that’s a healthy environment to be in.”

The attritional way Ireland play rugby was also put to Trimble.

“People want to see us take more risks but they only want to see that if the risks pay off. You get criticised if you don’t take risks and criticised if they don’t go well. Nobody is going to be happy unless everything goes 100 percent according to plan and that isn’t always the case. we got a few ideas how we break the Italians down but this is a quality Italian outfit and we really have to be on the money this weekend to make sure everything is sorted. They have produced some quality performances and I’m sure this weekend will be no different.

“We’ve spent a long time building up our confidence so it is not going to go that quickly either. We haven’t become a bad side, we have just become a side that hasn’t been quite as clinical as we want to be.

“If we’d been more clinical we could have won three games from three.

“I hate when I hear people say that because, ultimately, we haven’t won any games and that’s the way it goes. You just got to face that.

“We are happy that we are producing opportunities to score, we just have to hold onto the ball and be that bit more clinical. Just go through one or two more phases of play and the passes will stick eventually. Hopefully they will stick this weekend.”