Fifteen.

Leinster Rugby confirmed our worst fears yesterday with the province revealing fullback Jordan Larmour would miss Ireland’s remaining Six Nations games as well as the Autumn Nations Cup.

The 23-year-old, who has been Andy Farrell’s first-choice fullback since taking over, dislocated his shoulder against Benetton at the weekend and will be out of action for around 12 weeks.

It’s a huge blow for the men in green who are already light in terms of options in the back three with Rob Kearney gone, Keith Earls injured and James Lowe not eligible until November.

But it’s a chance for someone else to step up and potentially make that fifteen jersey their own and there’s still plenty of options for Farrell.

Here are the five frontrunners to replace Larmour.

Andrew Conway.
Jamie Heaslip and I discussed the problem at fullback for Ireland on this week’s episode of the Up and Under Podcast and I decided that Conway was my choice to start, hands down. He’s an excellent defender, excellent under the high ball and has a very good kicking game too. If I was Farrell, Conway would be my man.

Jacob Stockdale.
The 24-year-old has played a lot of rugby at fifteen for Ulster in recent months and is really beginning to find his feet there, having initially burst onto the scene with the northern province as a fullback. His defence can be shaky though so I’m not fully convinced.

Hugo Keenan.
The Leinster winger is another man who has played at fullback this season for his province and has been one of the most consistent back-three players in the country. He’s uncapped though and fullback is a position that requires some experience. But he has to get that somewhere…

Shane Daly.
Another uncapped youngster who has really impressed in recent months. Has been carrying a knock in recent weeks though and won’t have any minutes under his belt before the Italy game so that all but rules him out.

Robbie Henshaw.
With Aki and Ringrose pipped to start in the centre, Henshaw could find himself in the starting fifteen if Farrell opts to give him another chance at fullback for Ireland. He’s played there plenty of times in the past at provincial level but was exposed there in his only Ireland cap at fifteen back in 2019 against England. But he does deserve another shot and was perhaps unfairly criticised for a lot of his play in that game.