Joe Schmidt confirms return date for Johnny Sexton and Peter O’Mahony

Joe Schmidt made three changes to his Ireland 23 but there was still no place for Johnny Sexton and Peter O'Mahony.

The Kiwi included Cian Healy and Donnacha Ryan in his starting XV and drafted Craig Gilroy onto his bench for Saturday's trip to Rome. Ireland are in major need of a victory having slipped to Scotland in the opening game of the Six Nations championship. Asked about the Healy and Ryan calls, Schmidt said:

"It was probably something we had planned to do - to just rotate Cian and Jack McGrath... They bring similar things, but slightly different things." He continued, "Donnacha is a pretty good lineout operator. He's a good technician and a tactician, which we will need."

Schmidt confirmed that Iain Henderson was out of his squad entirely due to a hamstring strain picked up in Tuesday's training run. He hopes that both Henderson and Andrew Trimble, who was not risked, can both line out for Ulster against Glasgow on February 18. The Kiwi is absolutely certain he will have Sexton [calf] and O'Mahony [hamstring] fully fit and ready for selection ahead of the France game on February 25. Asked if both men would be fit, Schmidt said:

"Yep. Yes, yes."

Can't get any surer than that. As for the one change on the Ireland bench - Gilroy for Tommy Bowe - Schmidt was keen to stress that the selection was all part of a grand plan.He commented:

"Again, we were always going to try to offer opportunity there. Tommy was unlucky - he came on and had to deal with an overlap... He didn't really get into the game. "With Craig Gilroy, he toured South Africa with us and has been working hard. This is a reward for that."

Schmidt was not surprised, either, to see Italy name Sergio Parisse as No.8 and captain after he sustained a nasty-looking blow in their opening day loss to Wales.