Izuchukwu to make first Six Nations start
Tullamore native Cormac Izuchukwu has been named in the Ireland team to play Italy in the Guinness Six Nations at the Aviva Stadium on Saturday, at 2.10pm.
The Ulster lock forward will make his first Six Nations start and is one of six changes made by head coach Andy Farrell to the team which was defeated by France in the opening round of fixtures.
Izuchukwu made his Ireland senior debut against Fiji in the November 2024 test series and in doing so became the first man from Offaly to play rugby for Ireland at senior level.
Meanwhile, Crinkill native Michael Milne, who made his Six Nations debut as a second half substitute and made an immediate try scoring impact, has been omitted from the matchday squad.
Ireland team (v Italy):
15. Jamie Osborne (Naas/Leinster)(11 caps)
14. Robert Baloucoune (Enniskillen/Ulster)(4)
13. Garry Ringrose (UCD/Leinster)(70)
12. Stuart McCloskey (Bangor/Ulster)(24)
11. James Lowe (Leinster)(43)
10. Sam Prendergast (Lansdowne/Leinster)(14)
9. Craig Casey (Shannon/Munster)(25)
1. Jeremy Loughman (Garryowen/Munster)(6)
2. Dan Sheehan (Lansdowne/Leinster)(36)
3. Thomas Clarkson (Blackrock College/Leinster)(11)
4. Joe McCarthy (Dublin University/Leinster)(20)
5. James Ryan (UCD/Leinster)(77)
6. Cormac Izuchukwu (Ballynahinch/Ulster)(3)
7. Caelan Doris (St. Mary’s College/Leinster)(captain)(56)
8. Jack Conan (Old Belvedere/Leinster)(56)
Replacements:
16. Rónan Kelleher (Lansdowne/Leinster)(44)
17. Tom O’Toole (Ballynahinch/Ulster)(17)
18. Tadhg Furlong (Clontarf/Leinster)(82)
19. Edwin Edogbo (UCC/Munster)*
20. Tadhg Beirne (Lansdowne/Munster)(66)
21. Nick Timoney (Queen’s University/Ulster)(7)
22. Jamison Gibson-Park (Leinster)(47)
23. Jack Crowley (Cork Constitution/Munster)(31).