Ireland happy with full-back options with Simon Zebo not the 'right person' this time, says Simon Easterby

Ireland defence coach Simon Easterby is happy with the team's full-back options and said Simon Zebo "wasn’t the right person at this time."

The absence of utility backs Mack Hansen and Jimmy O’Brien through injury has opened up the question of who can back up Hugo Keenan, Ireland’s man in possession of the 15 jersey.

Three of Ireland's current squad – Robbie Henshaw, Jordan Larmour and Jacob Stockdale – have previously tried out at full-back without success.

Munster’s Zebo has been in superb form over the last couple of months.

The 33-year-old won the last of 35 Ireland caps in 2017 but Easterby said they are confident with the players they have, and name-checked Munster's Jack Crowley and Leinster's Ciarán Frawley, both of whom play more regularly at out-half, as two who can step into the breach if required.

"There are a number of options," Easterby told RTÉ Sport as the squad builds up for the opening Guinness Six Nations clash against France in seven days’ time.

"On the Zeebs one, he is playing incredibly well. But we decided he wasn’t the right person at this time.

"He has an unbelievable record for Ireland and has been a fantastic player over the years. But I guess we felt like there are other guys in this group who could fit the bill.

"We know that Jack has moved from 10 to 15 in the past, we know that Ciarán has played there.

"So there are a number of players we feel could move into that position. Because Hugo has been so good, he has been impossible to shift from that position.

"And that’s great. But we certainly have needed to make sure we are covered in that area so if the worst-case scenario happens, and we lose someone like Hugo, we do have coverage. But not Zebo this time."

Meanwhile, the Ireland squad reported a clean