Italy hooker Leonard Ghiraldini a doubt for Ireland game

Hooker Leonardo Ghiraldini remains an injury doubt for Italy's Six Nations game against Ireland in Dublin on Saturday.

Leicester front row Ghiraldini suffered damage to his right shoulder in Italy's 36-20 defeat to Scotland earlier in the competition.

The 31-year-old had only just recovered from a hamstring problem he suffered in the World Cup, and suffered a new injury blow as Italy slipped to defeat in Rome.

Now the Azzurri will hand the vastly experienced player every chance to prove his fitness ahead of the Aviva Stadium encounter, with scrum-half Edoardo Gori another doubt.

"We are waiting to evaluate Edoardo Gori and Leonardo Ghiraldini," said team manager Luigi Troiani.

"Gori showed a small rib fracture against Scotland, while with Ghiraldini we are monitoring the progress on an injury to his right shoulder, the trapezius muscle.

"We will wait to assess both players."

Ghiraldini missed Leicester's 31-27 Premiership victory over Exeter Chiefs on Sunday, with rugby director Richard Cockerill admitting in advance he did not know how long the abrasive front-rower's latest injury would keep him
sidelined.

Italy have added uncapped Zebre hooker Oliviero Fabiani and rookie Treviso scrum-half Alberto Lucchese as cover for their senior stars still battling injury.

Fabiani would most likely cover hooker from the bench with Treviso's Davide Giazzon promoted to start should Ghiraldini fail in his fitness quest.

Zebre's Guglielmo Palazzani will be waiting in the wings to start at nine if Gori is unable to win his 51st cap in Dublin.