Six players added to extended Irish squad

Six players have joined up with the 22-man Ireland squad that played in the 30-21 victory over France, while Rob Kearney and Paddy Wallace are being monitored after receiving minor injuries.

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Backs Girvan Dempsey, Keith Earls and Shane Horgan and forwards Mick O'Driscoll, Alan Quinlan and Bernard Jackman have all been added to an extended squad.

On Saturday, Wallace was replaced by Gordon D'Arcy after receiving a cut to the head, while Kearney was taken off late in the game and had his ankle iced and elevated on the sideline. The Leinster full-back had to pass a fitness test prior to the game after picking up an ankle strain in the run-up to it.

Jackman was not in the 27-man squad announced before the France game but is called up as cover for starting hooker Jerry Flannery, who took a 'stinger' – heavy impact - injury to his shoulder on Saturday.

An IRFU statement said: 'The Ireland management have no significant injuries to report following the French game.

'Full-back Rob Kearney came through the game with no reaction to his recent ankle injury. Inside centre Paddy Wallace received stitches to an eye wound and hooker Jerry Flannery suffered a stinger injury to this shoulder.

'Both Wallace and Kearney are being monitored and neither player has been ruled out of contention at this point for a place in the team against Italy.'

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