Dave Kilcoyne: ‘The World Cup? It’s madness to look that far ahead’

Kilcoyne could feature against Italy in a starting front row that also sees Tadhg Furlong return for the first time in 12 months at tighthead with Healy and Andrew Porter moving to the bench

FULL TILT: Dave Kilcoyne sprints during Ireland squad training at the IRFU High Performance Centre. ‘I think Ireland are doing a lot of good stuff and we fully believe in the gameplan here,’ says the Ireland prop. Picture: Dan Sheridan

If Andy Farrell thinks like Dave Kilcoyne in terms of staying next-job focused then do not expect wholesale changes this afternoon when the Ireland head coach names his team to face Italy in Rome on Saturday.

Having only recently returned from a four-month spell on the sidelines due to ankle injury and then missed the Guinness Six Nations clash with France after straining a calf muscle on his comeback for Ireland against Wales, the Munster prop refuses to look further ahead than his next training session.