Confirmation from provinces means we can confidently predict Ireland’s team to play Wales

We've held a candle long enough. It's time to let go.

For the first time in over a year, we can confidently predict an Irish match-day squad. Settling on the starting XV may prove a tad tougher but not so if, as expected, Tadhg Furlong and James Ryan train fully by Tuesday. Iain Henderson also sat out the full session at Athlone's Dubarry Park, on Thursday, but the Ulster lock should also be fit. Chris Farrell is in pole position to replace the injured Robbie Henshaw at outside centre while Niall Scannell is back to full fitness and expected to deputise for captain Rory Best. The final clues towards Ireland's squad make-up were offered up on Friday afternoon with confirmation of the Leinster and Munster teams that will be taking part in Guinness PRO14 action against Welsh opposition. Three players would have been fully aware of the fact they needed to feature in league action before they had a chance of facing Wales. Unfortunately for Andrew Conway, Garry Ringrose and Sean O'Brien, all have been left out. Conway was in the original Six Nations squad but a knee injury ruled him out of the France and Italy games. Ringrose and O'Brien are back in training with Leinster, with the centre said to be 'a week ahead' of the flanker in terms of game-readiness. The fact that all three men are sitting out of this weekend's games makes it easier to predict the Ireland team, and squad, for the Wales game. Ireland are back in Carton House, Maynooth, on Sunday evening and the squad for round three of the 2018 Six Nations should be officially named on Monday. The big decision Joe Schmidt appears to have, in the coming days, is to stick with Jordan Larmour as his No.23 or draft in Fergus McFadden, a player he has often turned to in the past.

IRELAND (Predicted XV for Wales)

Rob Kearney Keith Earls Chris Farrell Bundee Aki Jacob Stockdale Johnny Sexton Conor Murray Cian Healy Rory Best (captain) Tadhg Furlong Iain Henderson James Ryan Peter O'Mahony Dan Leavy CJ Stander

Replacements: Niall Scannell, Jack McGrath, Andrew Porter, Devin Toner, Jack Conan, Kieran Marmion*, Joey Carbery, Fergus McFadden. *Updated on February 18 after injury to Luke McGrath.