Forward thinking key as Ross out to right wrongs of 2012

A lot of water has gone under the bridge since Mike Ross left the field injured at Twickenham two years ago and England stormed to victory over a seriously pressurised Irish front row.

Ireland had only one prop forward – Tom Court – on the bench that day and the loosehead was forced to pack down in the unfamiliar tight side. Naturally enough, the Ulsterman suffered in his new surroundings and England prospered.

But with the rules changed and teams now allowed to include specialist loose and tighthead props in a match-day list, such an outcome is unlikely to happen again — and certainly not on Saturday as Ireland chase their first Triple Crown since the 2009 Grand Slam, insists Ross.