Ireland coach Joe Schmidt has resisted calls to experiment, with just four changes to his starting lineup to face Italy in Rome on Sunday.

All replacements have come to the forward pack, with the backline unchanged from the one that beat Scotland in Edinburgh.

There are a couple of changes to the front row, where 32-year-old hooker Sean Cronin makes his first Six Nations start in place of captain Rory Best. Dave Kilcoyne comes in for loosehead prop Cian Healy.

Both Best and Healy are out of the match 23 altogether, with Munster pair Niall Scannell and Jack McGrath named on the bench.

The other changes are lock Ultan Dillane for James Ryan, who is also given the weekend off, and Jordi Murphy replacing Jack Conan at No 8.

Connacht flyhalf Jack Carty is in line for a Six Nations debut from the bench after Joey Carbury picked up a knock in training.

Ireland – 15 Rob Kearney, 14 Keith Earls, 13 Chris Farrell, 12 Bundee Aki, 11 Jacob Stockdale, 10 Johnny Sexton, 9 Conor Murray, 8 Jordi Murphy, 7 Sean O’Brien, 6 Peter O’Mahony, 5 Quinn Roux, 4 Ultan Dillane, 3 Tadhg Furlong, 2 Sean Cronin, 1 Dave Kilcoyne.
Subs: 16 Niall Scannell, 17 Jack McGrath, 18 John Ryan, 19 John Ryan, 20 Josh van der Flier, 21 John Cooney, 22 Jack Carty, 23 Andrew Conway.

Photo: Brendan Moran/Getty Images