Preparing for a match in resplendent Rome with training slogs in frosty Maynooth - there had to be a hitch somewhere along the line
Joe Schmidt was forced to change his training plans this morning and shift his troops into the gym facilities at Carton House due to a frozen training ground pitch.
With blue skies and sunshine sprouting in Kildare since 10am, hopes remain that the squad may do some on-field drills this afternoon.
The last time Ireland encountered plan-altering frost was the Stade de France farce in 2012. The Irish team, led by Declan Kidney at the time, were in the dressing room and prepared to take to the field when, 10 minutes before kick-off, their match against France was postponed due to a frozen pitch.
This tweet from TV3 presenter Sinead Kissane gives an impression of the frost-covered vista at the Maynooth hotel this morning:
