Declan Kidney’s contract expires this year. (Pic: PA)

Declan Kidney’s future is shrouded in grave doubt after Ireland slumped to their first defeat by Italy in the Six Nations and worst performance of the championship since 1999, when they also finished second from bottom, one place above France on points difference.

It has been a trying two months for Kidney, who has been forced to cope with an injury curse that struck yet again in Rome, although this time the match was just 24 minutes old when Keith Earls was escorted off, quickly followed by Luke Marshall and substitute Luke Fitzgerald.

While Kidney deserves sympathy for having to work amid such challenging circumstances and respect for refusing to complain, Ireland’s fortunes have fluctuated wildly during his four-and-a-half years in charge.

It is that bigger picture that may convince the IRFU to allow his contract to expire in the summer, with the loss to Italy perhaps offering final confirmation that change is necessary.

For the first time Kidney himself has hinted a stewardship that peaked with the 2009 Grand Slam might be over.

“I said all along that I’d concentrate on each game as it came and that’s all I did with Italy,” Kidney said.

“I wasn’t thinking that it could be my last match as coach, all I was concentrating on was getting the win.

“I wanted to get a result, we didn’t manage to do that and we’ll reflect on it over the coming days and weeks.

“I’d have to sit down and think about whether I want a new contract. These guys are a pleasure to work with, but beyond that I’d have to sit back and think about it.”

Kidney has received strong support from flanker Peter O’Mahony, who spent much of yesterday’s match on the left wing once Fitzgerald had limped off with a knee problem.

“The players should take the blame for what’s happened. We’ve been given every opportunity to go out and play for Ireland,” O’Mahony said.

“It has to come down to the players, I don’t know where the stick aimed at the coaches is coming from.

“We’re the ones who have made decisions on the pitch and have made mistakes at times. It’s on our heads, we’re the ones who are not delivering.

“All 23 of us in the squad against Italy and everyone in the extended training squad are 100 per cent behind the coaching staff.

“That will be the case until they move on, which hopefully won’t be any time soon.”

Meanwhile, Brian O’Driscoll will learn later today whether he will face disciplinary proceedings for his stamp on Simone Favaro in the 22-15 Six Nations defeat by Italy.

Citing commissioner Aurwel Morgan of the Welsh Rugby Union has until just before midnight (Australian eastern time) to decide if the offence, which saw O’Driscoll sent to the sin-bin on the half-hour mark, warrants further action.

O’Driscoll lifted his right leg and brought it down on to the chest of Favaro, the Italy openside, who yelled out in pain and writhed around on the Stadio Olimpico turf before looking up to the touchline.

It was an act born out of the 34-year-old centre’s frustration as Favaro was lying on the wrong side of the ruck at a time when Ireland were beginning to implode once more.

The incident clouded what was almost certainly O’Driscoll’s final game for Ireland, leading to speculation, led by former international team-mate Paul Wallace, that if he had decided to retire after the summer, he may now delay those plans.

Kidney said he still has plenty to offer at Test level.

“Brian has had a strong Six Nations. He was outstanding against Wales and had a good match against France. I thought he did well against Italy too,” he said.

“He’s earned the space and time to be able to make up his own mind. Players are the only ones who know when the time is right to go.”

Jonathan Sexton has suffered a foot injury, ruling him out of the Italy contest.

The injury curse that has haunted Ireland throughout the Ireland’s Six Nations struck once again yesterday when Jonathan Sexton was ruled out of Saturday’s showdown with Italy because of a foot injury.

Just two hours after being restored to the starting XV for the Stadio Olimpico clash, the Leinster fly-half was withdrawn after tearing a tendon in his left foot in training this morning.

The injury was initially viewed as only a minor complaint, resulting in his selection, but a scan completed shortly before the team’s departure for Rome told a different story.

“Jonny has torn a tendon in his left foot and is therefore ruled out this weekend,” read an Irish Rugby Football Union statement.

Sexton had returned to full training this week after recovering from the hamstring strain that forced him to sit out the defeat to Scotland and draw with France and his continued absence is a cruel blow to player and team.

It was a final opportunity for him to impress British and Irish Lions selectors and deliver a timely reminder of why he was the pre-tournament favourite to become their fly-half in the summer Test series against Australia.

In contrast England’s Owen Farrell – his chief rival for the position – has recovered from a thigh strain and will face Wales in Cardiff on Saturday.

Paddy Jackson, who deputised for Sexton against Scotland and France, will continue in his absence with Ian Madigan supplying cover from the bench.

Jackson impressed against Les Bleus, but Ireland were desperate to select their chief playmaker for a match that could decide whether they finish third or last.

While last week’s team announcement against France was, at best, confusing as Ireland issued conflicting messages over their fly-half situation, they could not be blamed for the rapid turn of events that forced them to backtrack today.

It is hard not to feel sympathy for head coach Declan Kidney and his management team, who have been firefighting injury from the opening round of the tournament.

Paul O’Connell, Stephen Ferris and Tommy Bowe were ruled out of the entire Six Nations before it began, while Gordon D’Arcy and Simon Zebo sustained championship-ending injuries early on.

Mike McCarthy, Fergus McFadden, Craig Gilroy and Eoin Reddan have also missed game time, while the likes of Jackson, Marshall, Brian O’Driscoll and Donnacha Ryan have faced fitness tests on a variety of knocks.

In particular , O’Driscoll and Ryan have been playing through the pain barrier and will be patched up and sent into battle one last time this weekend.

O’Driscoll, along with centre partner Marshall, was concussed against France, but both players have been passed fit to face Italy.

The pack is unchanged from the eight that started against France with Ryan being given a clean bill of health after taking a bang on his shoulder at the Aviva Stadium on Saturday.

Gilroy returns on the right wing after overcoming a groin strain, replacing rib-fracture victim McFadden.

Substitute scrum-half Reddan fractured his leg against France, so uncapped Ulsterman Paul Marshall wins a spot on the bench that includes Devin Toner.

Kidney explained that Toner’s line-out prowess earned him the nod over Donncha O’Callaghan as second-row cover.

It could be O’Driscoll’s last Six Nations match and Kidney’s final game in charge with both of their contracts set to expire this summer.

Kidney refused to lament the injury crisis, even though it could yet contribute to his downfall.

“Players will always get bangs and knocks. It’s a physical contact game, no different to American football,” he said.

“If you wait to be perfect, you’ll never have a team, but no player will ever go out on the field unless he is ready to go.

“We’ve lost two matches by a combined total of 10 points. A couple of small things and you could be in the winner’s enclosure very quickly. But now isn’t the time to moan, it’s time to roll your sleeves up.

“It’s a huge honour for me to be involved in Ireland and I’m looking forward to Saturday.”

Leinster and the Six Nations are at odds over Healy’s eligibility for selection by the province this weekend. (Pic: PA)

Ireland prop Cian Healy’s ban for stamping has descended into farce as confusion reigned over his availability for provincial duty this weekend.

While Leinster are of the belief that their 25-year-old loosehead can be selected for the weekend’s RaboDirect PRO12 clash with Benetton Treviso, Ireland coach Declan Kidney has been told that is not the case.

Six Nations organisers have declined to publicly clarify the terms of the three-week suspension given yesterday by an independent disciplinary committee, but bafflingly maintain it commenced with Monday’s citing.

Mindful that under normal circumstances Healy would have been rested this weekend, the hearing decided that the punishment for his stamp on England’s Dan Cole during Sunday’s 12-6 defeat in Dublin should be deferred by one week so that he would miss Ireland’s matches against Scotland and France.

A three-week suspension expiring on March 10 would have to commence this Sunday, creating the grey area that has transformed what should have been a routine disciplinary process into a fiasco.

The development is a mess for the Six Nations, who are at risk of seeing the spirit of their ban flouted by the exploitation of a loophole in their decision to defer the punishment.

Kidney – who will consider appealing only when the written judgment is published, which is likely to be on Monday – was told by the hearing at Heathrow yesterday that Healy is not available.

“Experience has taught us to wait for the written judgment or explanation to come down and we’ll take it from there concerning any appeal. Let’s see what’s in the judgment,” Kidney has said.

“It’s certainly an option that he could play for Leinster this weekend, but we’ve been told that he’s suspended and he’s not allowed to.

“Cian’s had a lot going on – a lot goes on with the citings process the way it is. There would certainly be benefit in him playing given everything that’s happened.

“We asked the question yesterday whether he could play this weekend and we were told no, he is suspended.”

Leinster take the opposite view, with forwards coach Jonno Gibbes indicating this morning that the European champions intend fielding a player destined for Lions selection this summer.

“Cian is certainly available. (Leinster coach) Jose Schmidt and (Ireland coach) Declan have talked about the involvement of Test players this weekend,” Gibbes.

“Cian’s available and personally I’d be delighted to involve him, he’s a really big asset. He will definitely be considered.

“There are complications for others maybe, but he’s available for us. It’s a game in the break of the Six Nations and he’s under consideration.

“Nothing is surprising when the rugby judiciary is involved. You have to go in with an open mind because you never know what will come out of it.”

Losing Healy against Scotland and France was compounded by the news that fly-half Jonathan Sexton and second row Mike McCarthy will miss the trip to Edinburgh on February 24 through injury.

Sexton has a grade two hamstring tear that usually requires four to six weeks to heal, making him a major doubt to face France in the penultimate round of fixtures.

McCarthy has damaged the medial ligament of his right knee and will be in a brace for two weeks, at the end of which his fitness will be reassessed.

More positive news was received on the remaining injuries incurred during a brutal clash against England at the Aviva Stadium.

Centre Brian O’Driscoll, full-back Rob Kearney, flanker Seán O’Brien and lock Donnacha Ryan are at varying degrees of fitness, but all should be available to face Scotland.

Gordon D’Arcy attempts to evade Manu Tuilagi as the sides met in last year’s competition.

Ireland v England
Live on TV: Monday 4am on ESPN

Gordon D’Arcy has warned England that his record-breaking centre partnership with Brian O’Driscoll excels in defence because “we have each a chip on our shoulder”.

Ireland are hoping to take a significant step towards repeating their RBS 6 Nations title triumph of 2009 when they host the championship favourites at Aviva Stadium on Sunday.

If, as expected, D’Arcy recovers from his dead leg in time to feature in the starting XV named tomorrow, he will line up alongside O’Driscoll in midfield for a 48th Test with the objective of stopping England on the gainline.

The Ireland centres are among the smallest in international rugby, but D’Arcy insists their attitude transforms them into ferocious defenders.

“Brian’s been great to play with for all these years. We’ve been in and around teams together since we were 16 or 17,” he said.

“We’ve always played together and he’s so easy to play with, whether it’s in attack or defence.

“One of the things that stands out for both of us is that we enjoy tackling and the confrontation.

“We have the chip on our shoulder that you need to be a really good defender.

“That was epitomised last Saturday when Brian stopped one of Wales’ second rows dead in his tracks five metres from our line.

“When you see stuff like that it’s inspiring in it’s own right.

“A mantra in this squad is ‘no matter what it takes to get it done, just do it’. That’s come across in the way Brian and I have played down the years.”

England name their team later today with the composition of their centre partnership the biggest talking point.

Manu Tuilagi has recovered from the ankle injury that forced him to miss the opening-day rout of Scotland, but the bulldozing Leicester Tiger is expected to be named on the bench with Billy Twelvetrees and Brad Barritt keeping their starting places.

If England choose that option, it raises the prospect of their most destructive player being used as an impact substitute.

Tuilagi was the driving force behind the autumn’s sensational upset of world champions New Zealand, but D’Arcy refuses to be intimidated by an opponent he rates highly.

“Manu’s a unique player and a powerhouse. His ability to get over the gainline is phenomenal,” he said.

“But Brian and I love defending and love challenges. We’ve always been up against really good players over the years and we’ve always held our own.

“I watched all of England’s matches in November and when you do that you think about how you would defend at certain moments.

“My mates won’t watch games with me because I look at it half analytically and they say ‘great, you’ve sucked the fun out of a good weekend!’.

“England were very impressive. They were up for it, the 50-50 balls which are things that New Zealand usually dominate England controlled.”

:: Title hopes

The showdown in Dublin has been billed as an early title decider with the rivals registering emphatic opening-day victories, while France were dismantled by Italy in Rome.

Ireland overcame Wales 30-22 in a roller-coaster encounter at the Millennium Stadium, generating invaluable momentum heading into this weekend.

Their defensive heroics in the second half took their toll, however, with D’Arcy, centre Keith Earls and flanker Peter O’Mahony doubts ahead of tomorrow’s team announcement.

“I took three whacks on my leg in pretty much the same area against Wales. You’re not doing anyone any favours by hobbling around the pitch,” D’Arcy said.

“You go as long as you can, then you’re done. But it’s feeling really good and has been improving since Monday.

“I’ll know by Friday afternoon if it’s all right. You can’t really hide it from the medical staff any more.

“The days of saying ‘I’ll just sit over and have a stretch’ are gone. You’re not being fair to anyone.”

Jonathon Sexton will leave Leinster for France at the end of the season.

Rob Kearney has sparked fears of a possible exodus of Ireland’s Test stars to France or even Australia by warning the Irish Rugby Football Union that Jonathan Sexton’s move to France will be scrutinised closely.

Sexton informed the IRFU last weekend that he will be leaving Leinster at the end of the season after they were substantially outbid during contract negotiations.

The 27-year-old – Ireland’s prized asset – is poised to join Racing Metro after reportedly accepting a lucrative deal worth £640,000 per year.

While Wales and England have previously lost internationals to the spending power of French clubs, it is the first time a high-profile Irish player has headed to the continent.

Kearney has discussed the move with his close friend and Leinster team-mate and insists that if it proves a success, others might decide to head for the Top 14.

“That’s professional sport, it happens. In Ireland we’ve probably been lucky over the years in that it’s only now that a player has left. It will test the waters obviously,” he said.

“It could go very badly for him, it’s impossible to say. Guys always talk about leaving and threatening to look for new experiences.

“France is one of the new experiences that players will generally pinpoint in looking for a change.

“Jonny’s shown a lot of bravery. If it works out really well for him in that he’s enjoying life and playing good rugby while earning more money, people will see that and it will open up a whole new ball park.”

Kearney’s thinly-veiled threat to the IRFU will have registered at Lansdowne Road as Ireland confront an issue that has left its mark on Welsh rugby.

The departure of Sexton will have no impact on his Test career and he will line up at fly-half in Saturday’s RBS 6 Nations opener against Wales, but it does mean coach Declan Kidney will have less control over his playmaker.

The IRFU last week stated that the sums involved forced them to withdraw from negotiations for the jewel in their crown, stressing the money would be better spent elsewhere.
It was subsequently reported that Sexton was disappointed not to have been offered parity with new Ireland captain Jamie Heaslip and Kearney revealed the favourite to start as Lions Test fly-half in Australia this summer wanted to remain in Dublin.

“Jonny was upset by the whole thing, there’s no point lying about it. He will probably tell you that he wanted to stay,” Kearney said.

“It’s unfortunate that whatever way the negotiations went on, he probably wanted to stay and play his rugby in Ireland. But you can’t always get what you want.

“Myself and Jonny have been very close over the years and we have been talking about it as time has gone on.

“He was upset but now he’s been able to grasp the whole situation and has started looking forward to it.

“He’s got married to a lovely girl and this is a new start in life for him. He’s excited about that and understands that he must jump head first into it.”

Ireland name their side to face Wales in Cardiff Tuesday lunchtime with Kearney stressing the need to make a triumphant start to the championship.

“This is huge for us. We know we’ve lost our last three against them, including some big games,” he said. “Losing the first game takes a lot of kick out of you and suddenly you come under more pressure.”

All Six Nations matches will be live around Australia on ESPN.

Ireland and Wales in action in last year's SIx Nations.

Satellite broadcaster ESPN will screen all 15 matches of the upcoming Six Nations championship live in Australia.

The US-owned company secured the rights to broadcast the six nations in Australia and New Zealand for four years from 2010, in a deal now in its final year.

The competition kicks-off at 3am AEDT on Sunday February 3.

The opening match of the tournament will see Ireland travel to Cardiff to take on champions Wales, which secured its third grand slam in recent years in the 2012 renewal.

Ireland will be hoping to avenge its narrow defeat by Wales in Dublin last year, when a dubious refereeing decision by Wayne Barnes saw Wales awarded a last-minute penalty in front of the posts, which Leigh Halfpenny scored to secure a two-point victory for the visitors.

The second weekend sees Ireland play its first home match of the tournament, when England visits Lansdowne Road.  Last year England easily beat Ireland in the corresponding fixture in Twickenham on Saint Patrick’s Day.

Scotland host Ireland in Murrayfield on the third weekend, a day after England and France play in London.

France comes to Dublin on the penultimate weekend of the competition before Ireland play in Italy in Rome in the early hours of Saint Patrick’s Day.

Ireland finished the 2012 six nations in third place behind Wales and England, level on points with France against which it secured a rare draw in Paris in a match which had to be rescheduled because of a frozen pitch in the French capital on the evening the match was originally due to be played.

There will be added interest in the 2013 six nations in Australia, coming as it does just a few months before the Lions tour here in June and July.

The best players from Ireland, England, Scotland and Wales will play nine matches in Australia, including three test matches against the Wallabies.

Ireland’s fixtures are as follows (all times AEST): February 3, 3am away v Wales; February 11, 4am home v England; February 25, 3am away v Scotland; March 3, 6.30 am home v France; March 17, 3am away v Italy.

Donncha O’Callaghan believes Ireland’s crushing victory over Scotland proves they can flourish without captains Brian O’Driscoll and Paul O’Connell.

The Scots were condemned to a wooden spoon decider against Italy in Rome next weekend after amassing four tries in a 32-14 rout at the Aviva Stadium.

It was the first time Ireland were unable to field the injured O’Driscoll and O’Connell for an RBS 6 Nations match since 2001.

Led by Rory Best, the Irish thrived in their absence with man of the match Donnacha Ryan, Stephen Ferris and Rob Kearney among the star performers.

“Sometimes you get a bit frustrated when Brian and Paul are out of the squad because some people seem to think you can’t tie your laces without them,” Lions lock O’Callaghan said.

“When you’re missing two guys of their calibre it gives opponents a bit of confidence.

“They smell blood in the water and that becomes their focus for the week.

“It’s important that when there’s a bit of a void other people step up and that’s what happened throughout the team against Scotland. “It’s good for ourselves to get a result like that.”

Best, Eoin Reddan, Andrew Trimble and Fergus McFadden ran in tries and Jonathan Sexton kicked 12 points in an entertaining encounter that was only settled in the last 10 minutes.

The result has no impact on the title race as Ireland’s pursuit of the crown ended following their draw with France, but it ensures they will descend on Twickenham in high spirits.

The climax of the tournament against England will also conclude their gruelling workload of four Tests in 22 days, a schedule enforced by the postponement of their original game against France.

Three players – O’Connell, Sean O’Brien and Conor Murray – were lost in the aftermath of Paris and O’Callaghan admits the attrition rate is being felt in the dressing room.

“England is a huge ask now. As a player you don’t mind going four games on the bounce but it does take its toll,” he said.

“It’s been a bit unfair on us, but that’s the way it is. It’s always tough after a World Cup year because you pretty much have two seasons in one year.

“We might not see the fallout until the end of the season, but we have bangs and knocks that are unusual for this time of the year.”

Ireland will head to London as the championship’s most clinical side – they have scored 13 tries – and with a defence that has stiffened since their opening-weekend loss to Wales.

“You have to give credit to the system that (defence coach) Les Kiss has devised for us,” O’Callaghan said. “It’s nearly an offensive weapon in that when they have the ball we look to take them and get something out of it.

“We started off really poorly in terms of our line speed. Les was saying that our performance against France can’t be a one-off and he will be happy enough with what we showed against Scotland.

“Stephen Ferris led it and is doing an incredible job, taking the line up and rolling fellas.”

Ireland will finish the Six Nations in mid-table, ruing a championship haunted by bad luck.

But they only have themselves for losing a game they should have won against Wales before surrendering a 17-6 interval lead to draw in Paris. Had they been just a little more ruthless, they would be heading to Twickenham with a Grand Slam at stake.

“Unfortunately, that’s sport. You get good days and bad days,” Best said.

“Against Wales it was bitterly disappointing but the bottom line is we were six points up with eight minutes to go, at home, and we weren’t able to close that out.

“In France, we were 17-6 up at half-time and didn’t score a point in the second half.

“We produced a good performance against Scotland and that’s what we wanted, but we’re disappointed not to have won all of our games to date.”

Tommy Bowe led the assault as Ireland thrust themselves back into RBS 6 Nations title contention with a comprehensive victory over Italy.

Bowe crossed in each half to move third in the all-time list of Irish try-scorers with 22, trailing Brian O’Driscoll and Denis Hickie.

The rout was initiated by Keith Earls, who celebrated his return following the recent birth of his first child by slipping over in the 16th minute, with Tom Court and Andrew Trimble also touching down.

Fly-half Jonathan Sexton finished with 17 points in a flawless afternoon and was joined in the second half by Ronan O’Gara, who surpassed O’Driscoll to become Ireland’s most capped player with 118 appearances.

Sexton was the official man of the match, but he must have been run close by Rob Kearney who lit up the Aviva Stadium with a succession of darting runs from full-back that troubled Italy’s defence throughout or skipper Paul O’Connell, who has a huge game.

While the scoreboard points to an easy afternoon, Ireland made heavy work of it and at times were guilty of over-elaborating.

But coach Declan Kidney will otherwise be pleased with a comfortable victory that has provided some positive news in an otherwise ill-fated campaign.

Since losing to Wales on February 5 thanks to a penalty that a disciplinary hearing later admitted should not have been awarded, they have since seen their clash with France postponed at the last minute and lost their forwards coach Gert Smal for the rest of the championship due to an eye condition. Dispatching Italy – a result that concludes their sequence of three successive home defeats – at last provides them with a platform as they prepare for their return to Paris next Sunday.

New Azzurri coach Jacques Brunel made four changes to the side edged by England, the most notable of which saw Tobias Botes preferred ahead of Kristopher Burton at fly-half.

It was Botes’ full Test debut and he produced enough to suggest he is worth persevering with, although his statistics of just two successful kicks in five attempts made for grim reading. Botes failed to a land a tricky long-range penalty as early as the second minute, but Ireland were soon in control.

Ambition was evident in Italy’s play but they lacked accuracy and conceded the initiative with a series of unforced errors. Ireland exploded into life when Gordon D’Arcy accelerated through a large hole that had inexplicably opened up in the Azzurri’s midfield with Keith Earls and O’Brien in support.

The move sparked a period of sustained pressure and eventually Italy wilted before the onslaught with Earls diving over.

Ireland’s gravest concern was their rising penalty count, one of which Botes dropped on to the crossbar with the ball then falling the wrong way.

The South African-born outside-half missed with a drop goal after Italy had failed to capitalise on a five-metre scrum, prompting skipper Sergio Parisse to wave his arms in exasperation. A hair-raising period followed with Italy almost wriggling through the midfield before Rob Kearney launched a counter-attack that gave way to Alberto Sgarbi being hauled down five metres out.

The Azzurri were not done, however, and were rewarded with a 35th-minute try started when they pinched Ireland’s line-out ball.

Openside Robert Barbieri committed four defenders during a charge to the line and when the ball was recycled Italy had a huge overlap that enabled Parisse to stroll home.

Ireland’s response was emphatic, a series of runs creating numbers out wide that presented Tommy Bowe with a simple run-in.

Stephen Ferris and Bowe combined beautifully in the 47th minute only for full-back Andrea Masi to knock the ball from the hands of the Ospreys winger with the line beckoning. Sexton showed Botes how it is done by slotting two more penalties as Ireland pulled 13 points clear in perfect conditions at Lansdowne Road.

Superb hands from Sexton sent Bowe racing in for his second as Italy’s defence began to creak alarmingly. And the floodgates opened with three minutes left, a series of forward drives ending with Court burrowing over before Trimble raced 30 metres to complete the rout.

Ireland captain Paul O’Connell fears Italy will arrive in Dublin with the conviction they are ready to claim a prized scalp.

Paul O'Connell in action for Ireland

The RBS 6 Nations rivals clash at Aviva Stadium on Saturday with the Irish expected to register the first victory of a campaign disrupted by their postponed game against France.

New Italy coach Jacques Brunel watched his side slip to a 19-15 defeat by England in round two, but only after they surrendered a strong position.

O’Connell believes Brunel’s influence is already apparent in the Azzurri’s attempts to prove multi-dimensional.

“Italy’s belief and confidence will have grown after their performance against England,” the Ireland skipper said.

“That was probably their best chance of beating England since the Six Nations started.

“Even though they lost to France, they played a lot of good rugby and were good with the ball in hand at times.

“Their attack has been a lot better over the last two games. They’re beginning to mix it up and that’s what you must do to be successful.

“You need that big, strong pack that can get you over the gainline. But once you’ve done that you must be able to attack out wide.

“They seem to have improved a lot in that regard since the Six Nations started.

“But we’re hungry and enthusiastic. If we meet the physical challenge, we have a great chance of winning.”

Almost three weeks have passed since Ireland opened their Six Nations with a last-gasp defeat to Wales.

They have been inactive since after a frozen pitch at the Stade de France resulted in a wasted trip to Paris.

O’Connell says his team-mates are raring to resume action.

“The guys are dying to play. We’ve been well looked after by the union coming into the competition,” he said.

“We were given two weeks without any games over Christmas and straight after the World Cup. Guys are well rested and feel fresh.

“The break hasn’t been ideal, especially after you lose a game in the fashion we did to Wales.

“We were bitterly disappointed by what happened and are eager to put that right.

“You just want to get out there and play, so to sit on our hands for a few weeks has been frustrating. The guys are really looking forward to playing.”

The Ireland v Italy game is live on ESPN Australia from midnight on Saturday night, Feb 25.

Last Saturday's game was aborted 10 minutes before kick-off.

Ireland’s postponed match against France has been rearranged for Sunday March 4 at the Stade de France with a kick-off time of 2am AEST.

Full refunds will be issued to Irish and French ticket holders unable to make the new date.

However, the scheduling was condemned by the IRFU who are angry at being given a six-day turnaround immediately after their second trip to Paris of the championship.

Both teams must now prepare for four games in four weeks, though France are better placed to cope with that workload given their greater playing resources.

Once again the Six Nations, whose council met today to finalise a new date, stopped short of issuing a full apology for the farcical scenes witnessed at the Stade de France.

But chief executive John Feehan accepted that changes need to be made to the current rules that only the referee, host union or Six Nations council sitting in its entirety are able to postpone a game.

“We very much regret what has happened. This is not something anybody would have planned for or would have wished to happen,” Feehan said.

“It’s deeply disturbing. It’s terrible that it happened. It’s very frustrating for the fans and we very much feel for everyone who was affected, Irish and French.

“It has happened and we’ve got to look at how it happened and make sure it doesn’t reoccur.

“We’re going to have to revisit our procedures for calling a game off.”

The game was aborted 10 minutes before kick-off after referee Dave Pearson deemed the Stade de France pitch to be dangerous following days of sub-zero temperatures in Paris.

The conditions for the night of the game were known all week, yet Feehan stated that the French Rugby Federation were convinced the game would go ahead at a ground that lacked undersoil heating.

An outbreak of finger-pointing followed Pearson’s decision as the various stakeholders jockeyed for position and the recriminations have not ceased even though a new date has been confirmed.

Ireland, who as the away team face greater disruption to their championship schedule than France, must now travel to Paris and then play Scotland in Dublin six days later.

As a result, Ireland’s players and staff will return home immediately after the game, preventing them from attending any functions that evening.

“We are disappointed with this decision,” read a statement released by the IRFU.

“While understanding the difficulties that a postponed game brings to the international and club rugby schedule, the IRFU had proposed to the Six Nations that the preferred alternative date would be Saturday March 3 with an afternoon kick-off.

“This was based on providing the Ireland team, who will be travelling for a second time to Paris, with a seven day turnaround between its remaining four fixtures in the tournament.

“It would also provided any supporters wishing to attend the rescheduled game with an appropriate window of travel.”

The decision not to hold the game on Saturday March 3 was made because of that day’s busy programme of Top 14 fixtures.

French clubs had demanded France meet Ireland next season so they would avoid the prospect of losing their players to another weekend of international rugby, but this was not an option.

“We sympathise with the French clubs – it’s very difficult for them,” said Feehan.

“If we held the match on the Saturday, we would be going head to head with the club game and that would not be the right thing to do for the championship.”