Ireland dwelling on the positives

THE good news as far as Ireland’s injury worries are concerned is that there is no more bad news. For now anyway. There were even a few acorns of recovery to report in Killiney yesterday.

Chief among them was Rory Best who is overcoming the effects of a stomach bug that stifled his preparations last week and who is now expected to feature against Italy in the Six Nations opener in Rome on Saturday.

Aside from that, there were morsels of comfort concerning Jamie Heaslip whose ankle injury is progressing, and Shane Horgan who has reacted well to an injection in his leg, but neither will make the Eternal City.