Carbery gets Ireland recall as Sexton cover for Italy

Joey Carbery has been recalled to the Ireland rugby squad for Saturday's Guinness Six Nations match against Italy as cover for out-half Johnny Sexton.

The Ireland skipper is rehabbing from a leg injury suffered in the 32-19 win over France.

Carbery, who has 37 caps, had been a surprise omission from Andy Farrell's original squad with Leinster’s Ross Byrne featuring off the bench as Ireland began with two wins from two.

Jack Crowley will also come into the reckoning should Sexton fail to recover in time for the match-up with the Azzurri.

A calf injury will keep Keith Earls out of the trip to Rome, while Leinster second row Joe McCarthy is out for the entire campaign with an ankle injury.

Front-rowers Dan Sheehan and Cian Healy are back training with the squad having overcome hamstring issues.

Leinster flanker Scott Penny and Ulster second row Kieran Treadwell have also been called up.

Jamison Gibson-Park (hamstring), Robbie Henshaw (wrist) and Tadhg Furlong (calf) will all continue their respective rehab programmes.

Rob Herring is continuing his graduated return to play protocols after a suffering a head injury against France.

Speaking last week about Furlong, who had targetted a possible return against Italy, defence coach Simon Easterby said: "He's in a really good place, he knows his own body and understands how that works.

"We're very hopeful, and so is he, that he's going to be involved at some point in the Six Nations. It's the sort of injury, like a lot of soft-tissue injuries, that you want to make sure you don't get wrong."

Caolin Blade, Gavin Coombes, Jordan Larmour, Jimmy O'Brien, Jamie Osborne, Cian Prendergast, Roman Salanoa and Jacob Stockdale return to the squad having played for their respective provinces in the