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Join our Fantasy SRP leagueIreland change six while Italy stick with winning combo
Reuters • February 13th, 2026 6:00 am
Ireland have rung the changes after a poor result and performance in Paris last weekend | Photo: EPA
Ireland have made six changes for Saturday's (Sunday morning NZT) Six Nations clash with Italy while the visitors have gone with one enforced change.
From which it can be deduced that Ireland lost their opening match, badly, while Italy won.
That was the case with Ireland soundly beaten by France 36-14 in Paris while Italy defeated Scotland in Rome.
Ireland have handed Robert Baloucoune (wing) and Cormac Izuchukwu (back row) their tournament debuts.
Jack Conan comes in at No.8 while James Ryan, who made an impact off the bench in last week's defeat, starts at lock
Craig Casey replaces Jamison Gibson-Park at halfback in the other personnel change. In a positional switch captain Caelan Doris moves to openside flanker.
"There has been a positive reaction in training this week and we'll aim to keep on building into the weekend," Ireland coach Andy Farrell said.
For Italy Leonardo Marin moves from fullback to centre to replace Juan Ignacio Brex, who asked to be excused from the trip to Dublin for family reasons.
Lorenzo Pani comes off last weekend's replacement bench to take up the No. 15 slot.
IRELAND (1-15): Jeremy Loughman, Dan Sheehan, Thomas Clarkson, Joe McCarthy, James Ryan, Cormac Izuchukwu, Caelan Doris (c), Jack Conan, Craig Casey, Sam Prendergast, James Lowe, Stuart McCloskey, Garry Ringrose, Robert Baloucoune, Jamie Osborne.
Bench: Rónan Kelleher, Tom O’Toole, Tadhg Furlong, Edwin Edogbo, Tadhg Beirne, Nick Timoney, Jamison Gibson-Park, Jack Crowley.
ITALY (1-15): Danilo Fischetti, Giacomo Nicotera, Simone Ferrari, Niccolò Cannone, Andrea Zambonin, Michele Lamaro (c), Manuel Zuliani, Lorenzo Cannone, Alessandro Fusco, Paolo Garbisi, Monty Ioane, Leonardo Marin, Tommaso Menoncello, Louis Lynagh, Lorenzo Pani.
Bench: Tommaso Di Bartolomeo, Mirco Spagnolo, Muhamed Hasa, Federico Ruzza, Riccardo Favretto, David Odias, Alessandro Garbisi, Paolo Odogwu.
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