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Lock duo Beirne and Henderson back in the Ireland fold

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Locks Iain Henderson and Tadhg Beirne are back from injury as part of Joe Schmidt’s 34-man Ireland squad named ahead of the clash against Italy this weekend.

Locks Iain Henderson and Tadhg Beirne are back from injury as part of Joe Schmidt’s 34-man Ireland squad named ahead of the clash against Italy this weekend.

Beirne and Henderson, who dovetailed so effectively in the second row against USA during the Autumn Internationals, both missed the first two rounds of this year’s Guinness Six Nations – the former with a knee injury and the latter due to a finger complaint.

That brought Ireland’s enviable second-row depth to the fore – another engine-roomer Devin Toner also being out – as Quinn Roux impressed mightily while starting alongside mainstay James Ryan in the Round Two victory over Scotland, with Ultan Dillane also effective off the bench.

All five locks are part of the 34-man group assembled ahead of the contest against the Azzurri in Rome, as is centre Chris Farrell, who has been deemed fit after a suspected knee injury.

One of Farrell’s fellow centres, Garry Ringrose, has been ruled out with his hamstring issue, however – the same injury that sees Rhys Ruddock continuing his rehab at Leinster.

And Will Addison’s lower back stiffness also means he misses out, with the back-three star continuing his recovery at Ulster.

Ireland 34-man squad for their 2019 Guinness Six Nations match against Italy

Forwards: Rory Best (Ulster) – captain, Tadhg Beirne (Munster), Jack Conan (Leinster), Sean Cronin (Leinster), Ultan Dillane (Connacht), Tadhg Furlong (Leinster), Cian Healy (Leinster), Iain Henderson (Ulster), Dave Kilcoyne (Munster), Jack McGrath (Leinster), Jordi Murphy (Ulster), Sean O’Brien (Leinster), Peter O’Mahony (Munster), Quinn Roux (Connacht), James Ryan (Leinster), John Ryan (Munster), Niall Scannell (Munster), Josh van der Flier (Leinster)

Backs: Bundee Aki (Connacht), Caolin Blade (Connacht), Adam Byrne (Leinster), Joey Carbery (Munster), Jack Carty (Connacht), Andrew Conway (Munster), John Cooney (Ulster), Keith Earls (Munster), Chris Farrell (Munster), Tom Farrell (Connacht), Robbie Henshaw (Leinster), Rob Kearney (Leinster), Jordan Larmour (Leinster), Conor Murray (Munster), Jonathan Sexton (Leinster), Jacob Stockdale (Ulster)