Ireland forwards coach Simon Easterby is confident "physical animal" Ultan Dillane can make an impact in his international debut against England in the Six Nations on Saturday.
With Mike McCarthy sidelined through concussion, 22-year-old Connacht star Dillane is expected to provide second-row cover from the bench at Twickenham.
Paul O'Connell's retirement and long-term injuries to Ulster pair Iain Henderson and Dan Tuohy have left Ireland severely depleted in the second-row department.
Experienced Munster lock Donnacha Ryan is expected to start against England, paving the way for the raw but talented Dillane to take a seat on Ireland's bench.
"Ultane's been excellent, we've kept pretty close tabs on him since the World Cup," said forwards coach Easterby.
"And he has done very well, speaking to Jimmy Duffy and Pat Lam at Connacht, they've been really happy with his progression.
"He's a pretty physical animal, if you've seen him tackle. He hits rucks, he scrummages well, he's very powerful in the gym.
"He's the sort of player that if we can hone his skills and hone his game awareness at this level then he's going to have a bright future.
"Like anyone coming in new, they are always going to have a bedding-in period.
"But to a man, players in that position have all contributed and now look comfortable in the environment.
"That's testament to the work they've put in and hopefully they will get some opportunity."
Ireland's growing injury list in the forwards - which also includes back-row stars Peter O'Mahony and Sean O'Brien - has heaped further responsibility on Leinster lock Devin Toner to assume a greater leadership role.
The 29-year-old insists he is becoming "more comfortable" with such responsibility and he is confident Ryan and Dillane will be up to the task of taking on England at Twickenham.
"Ultan Dillane's very promising: he's a big brute of a lad, a great lineout option and he's very explosive," said Toner.
"I haven't seen a lot of the Connacht games, just bits and pieces, but what I have seen of him he has gone well.
"It would definitely be a big step up; Twickenham's a very tough place to go, but an exciting one too.
"It would be quite daunting, too, coming up against a team of that quality. But if he gets his chance hopefully he'll take it.
"Donnacha Ryan, he's a lineout brain, as he's a caller of lineouts himself too. So I can bounce ideas off him and that's very helpful.
"He's very good at organising a defensive lineout, so that could take a bit of a load off me."