Joe Schmidt makes four changes to Ireland forward pack for Italy Six Nations Test

By Michael Cantillon

Image: Sean Cronin will make the first Six Nations start of his career on Sunday as one of four changes for Ireland

Ireland have made four changes - all within their forward pack - ahead of facing Italy in Rome on Sunday in the Six Nations.

Head coach Joe Schmidt has chosen to rest captain and hooker Rory Best, Leinster second row James Ryan and Leinster loosehead prop Cian Healy, with Leinster's Sean Cronin, Connacht's Ultan Dillane and Munster's Dave Kilcoyne all brought in respectively.

Despite the fact Cronin has earned 67 caps for Ireland to date, Sunday will be the first Six Nations start of the 32-year-old's career.

Within the back-row, Jordi Murphy comes in at No 8 with CJ Stander still out injured and Jack Conan not fit to start either and lines out alongside Peter O'Mahony - who skippers the side - and Sean O'Brien.

Image: Joe Schmidt has made four alterations to his forward pack for Sunday's Test at the Stadio Olimpico

Elsewhere in the pack, Connacht second row Quinn Roux starts again and will likely call the lineout once more, while Tadhg Furlong keeps his place at tighthead prop.

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In the backs, Ireland are unchanged from their 22-13 victory over Scotland in Round 2, with experienced half-backs Johnny Sexton and Conor Murray named to start together for the 50th time.

Joey Carbery, who came on for Sexton in Edinburgh to play the majority of that Test, picked up a hamstring injury and was unavailable for selection.

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Chris Farrell and Bundee Aki link up again the centres with Munster's Farrell having shaken off a knee knock, while the back-three remains the same with Rob Kearney, Keith Earls and Jacob Stockdale all named.

Connacht fly-half Jack Carty is in line to make his Test debut from the replacements bench.

Ireland: 15 Rob Kearney, 14 Keith Earls, 13 Chris Farrell, 12 Bundee Aki, 11 Jacob Stockdale, 10 Johnny Sexton, 9 Conor Murray; 1 Dave Kilcoyne, 2 Sean Cronin, 3 Tadhg Furlong, 4 Ultan Dillane, 5 Quinn Roux, 6 Peter O'Mahony (c), 7 Sean O'Brien, 8 Jordi Murphy.

Replacements: 16 Niall Scannell, 17 Jack McGrath, 18 John Ryan, 19 Iain Henderson, 20 Josh van der Flier, 21 John Cooney, 22 Jack Carty, 23 Andrew Conway.

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