Rugby Six Nations Ireland v Wales: Three changes - one enforced, one reverting to choice, and only one by choice - were the predictably limited modifications to the Irish team beaten by France for this Sunday's season-defining Six Nations encounter with Wales at Lansdowne Road on Sunday, Gerry Thornley reports
With Paul O'Connell ruled out, Donncha O'Callaghan comes into the second row alongside Malcolm O'Kelly, although coach Eddie O'Sullivan dropped the broadest of hints that were it not for O'Connell's injury, O'Kelly's place would have been under threat.
Marcus Horan returns for Reggie Corrigan, thus leaving the choice of Andrew Trimble on the left wing ahead of his Ulster team-mate Tommy Bowe as O'Sullivan's only amendment to the opening two matches.
It's hard not to feel a tad sorry for Bowe, whose form has clearly suffered both through events on the pitch and some fairly caustic criticism, and he now misses out altogether on the 22, with Girvan Dempsey promoted to the bench.
Trimble looked more fearless, confident and physical when replacing Bowe and running a try-scoring support line to Brian O'Driscoll's break in Paris than Bowe had done, even if the latter was less directly culpable than some for the concession of six tries to France.
O'Sullivan said it was just a straightforward form selection.
"Tommy has had five games on the bounce and he's probably not playing to the best of his ability. I think he's a bit disappointed with himself but he's still very young and it's his first full season. This is the Six Nations so you've got to get your best 15 on the pitch."
Strong runner though he is, Trimble has played most of his rugby at centre and making his first Six Nations start on the left wing could be a big ask of him, defensively more than offensively. Furthermore, both Stephen Jones and Dwayne Peel are clever tactical kickers.
A final decision on Jerry Flannery's fitness will not be made until tomorrow, but provided there is no reaction to his ankle strain from taking a full part in training yesterday, the expectation is that he will play. Were he ruled out, Rory Best would make his first start, with Shane Byrne returning to the bench.
Mick O'Driscoll's form for Munster this season deservedly earns him a place on the bench for the first time in a Six Nations match, while Simon Easterby will take over from O'Connell as pack leader.
O'Sullivan agreed that Mick O'Driscoll had benefited from his time with Perpignan and pushed his way up the pecking order on form this season.
"The aspect of his game that's improved is the capacity to run the field and play football. When he was in Perpignan he played a fair bit at number eight and that certainly would have helped that aspect of his game. He's a form player and he's probably benefited from Paul's injuries, both in playing for Munster in the autumn and now.
"I'd be honest and say if Paul was fit, the secondrow would have been up for discussion," admitted O'Sullivan, adding: "The back three was up for discussion, and then with Marcus being back there's a change in the front row, but I'm happy with the back row and I'm happy with the midfield at the moment, I'd have to say, and the halfbacks. As units they're playing well."
O'Sullivan admitted Dempsey, recalled to the bench, is "playing his best rugby this season with Leinster", and added that not only did he believe Dempsey had impact potential but "we have cover for wing and centre on the field at the moment" and as regards fullback "it was a no-brainer to pick Girvan".
The thinking behind having a specialist openside, Johnny O'Connor, on the bench has appeared odd, given all three starting backrowers have played there at various junctures, yet O'Sullivan seemed to imply that Denis Leamy was not a particularly viable option there.
"It depends on which end of the equation you want to look at it. We have three backrowers on the pitch who can play six and eight, so we're covered at six and eight. We're not covered at seven really as an out-and-out openside, and I suppose you can change tack slightly with an out-and-out openside as well.
"People might say it's a luxury having an openside on the bench but I think when we have the cover we have on the pitch currently at six, seven and eight, who can move around like that, it's good cover to have."
Thomas Castaignede, Thomas Lievremont and Damien Traille, all back from injuries, return to France's starting line-up for Saturday's game against Italy at the Stade de France.
Castaignede comes in at fullback with Christophe Dominici returning to his usual left wing position. Lievremont takes over from Julien Bonnaire at number eight and Traille comes in for David Marty as inside centre.
FRANCE (v Italy): T Castaignede; A Rougerie, F Fritz, D Traille, C Dominici; F Michalak, J-B Elissalde; O Milloud, R Ibanez, P de Villiers, F Pelous (capt), J Thion, Y Nyanga, O Magne, T Lievremont. Replacements: S Bruno, S Marconnet, L Nallet, J Bonnaire, D Yachvili, D Marty, C Heymans.
