Super sub.

Joe Schmidt named his Ireland earlier for this weekend’s Six Nations clash with Italy and as expected – the New Zealander has made a host of changes from the win over Scotland.

Munster’s Dave Kilcoyne comes in for his first start of the Championship while there’s also a change in the second-row department with Connacht’s Ultan Dillane also coming in for this first start.

Elsewhere the likes of Andrew Conway, John Ryan, Jordi Murphy, Niall Scannell and Jack Carty come in to a new-look squad that will be looking to win big against Conor O’Shea’s side.

But the most bizarre thing to come out of all of this is Seán Cronin coming in to start at hooker. Now don’t get me wrong – the Leinster hooker deserves his place in the starting XV – it’s the stat that follows that beggars belief.

This will be Cronin’s first ever start in a Six Nations game for Ireland. Wow. The 32-year-old Limerick man has 68 caps to his name, and 33 in the Six Nations championship.

He made his Ireland debut 10 years ago and this is his first start in the Six Nations!vThat’s absolutely crazy and has to be some sort of record.