Leicester back Geordan Murphy has been called into the Ireland squad as cover after winger Denis Hickie suffered a back spasm in training this morning, hours before the team left for Edinburgh to prepare for Saturday's Six Nations clash with Scotland in Murrayfield.
Murphy was not named in the initial squad having also been omitted from the 22 to face England in Croke Park.
His inclusion appears to be only precautionary and Eddie O'Sullivan will give Hickie as much time as possible to prove his fitness.
If he does not recover the likely scenario will be the inclusion of Andrew Trimble on the left wing, with Murphy moving to the bench, offering cover for either wing or Girvan Dempsey at fullback.
Donncha O'Callaghan, meanwhile, has waded in on behalf of his secondrow partner and Munster teammate Paul O'Connell, who endured some criticism at the start of the tournament.
O'Connell picked up a string of man-of-the-match awards on Heineken Cup and Test duty last season and was shortlisted for International Rugby Board player of the year as a result.
His form lately, however, was the subject of some debate in the opening two games of this year's Six Nations, but the massive performance he put in against England in Croke Park proved the speculation was all "rubbish", according to O'Callaghan.
O'Callaghan claims the his teammate's contribution should never have been questioned. "The criticism of Paul's form was complete rubbish," said the Lions secondrow, who will be winning his 34th cap at Murrayfield on Saturday.
"I've been playing with Paul long enough to know it was typical - if the fella isn't casting bodies aside with big charging runs people expect him not to be doing stuff.
"But if you look at his stats during the Six Nations his work-rate has been incredible," he added. "I was delighted he put in such a huge performance against England to right the wrongs of what was being said.
"He's a class performer and he should never have been questioned. He's harsh on himself but that's the mark of the man.
"If something doesn't go well for him then he works harder than anyone else in the squad. He sets the standard.
"When he's a buddy of yours and you see this kind of stuff being written about him it's very upsetting.
"The criticism didn't affect him because he's so single minded. He's one of those fellas you want to play well around and to respect you.
"He's set the bar in the pack for the last three or four years."
After producing a star turn against England, which landed him another man-of-the-match award, O'Connell has much to live up to against Scotland on Saturday.
But it is a challenge that confronts the whole Ireland team following a ruthless dismissal of the world champions that has put them within one win of their third Triple Crown in four years.
