McCloskey wary of Menoncello x-factor 

Tommaso Menoncello will take some shackling when the in-form Italians pitch up at Aviva Stadium for this second-round Guinness Six Nations clash.

Italy's centre Tommaso Menoncello (R) runs to score a try during the Six Nations win over Scotland  (Photo by Alberto PIZZOLI / AFP via Getty Images)

After a torrid night in Paris as Antoine Dupont, Louis Bielle-Biarrey and company ran rings around Ireland’s defence, the prospect of dealing with another dose of continental X-factor in the form of Italy centre Tommaso Menoncello might be the last task for an Irish midfielder to look forward to in Dublin on Saturday.

Yet Stuart McCloskey, one of the few Ireland players to emerge with credit from the chastening 36-14 defeat to France eight days ago, has no choice but to roll up the sleeves and get on with the job of shackling the dynamic 23-year-old when the in-form Italians pitch up at Aviva Stadium for this second-round Guinness Six Nations clash.