"We'll see what happens, obviously Jared gives us another option in the midfield and he's a quality player."

The uncapped Stuart McCloskey has his considerable number of backers given the Ulsterman’s impressive form at centre this season

Team manager Mick Kearney admitted Ireland are adopting a "wait and see" attitude to Ulster centre Payne's hamstring injury.

The 30-year-old won his first international cap in the win over South Africa in November 2014 and has claimed 12 caps and two tries to date.