Better late than never for veteran Cronin

SEAN CRONIN will make his full Guinness Six Nations debut aged 32 and in his 68th cap when Ireland face Italy in Rome tomorrow. Leinster’s two-time Champions Cup-winning hooker already boasts Ireland’s highest number of replacement appearances with 58 caps from the bench and will earn

just his 10th Test start this weekend. Regular captain and hooker Rory Best is rested and will miss only his second game since 2007. Lock Ultan Dillane is given a first start in the competition, while Jordi Murphy comes into the back row. ITALY: Hayward; Padovani, Campagnaro, Morisi, Esposito; Allan, Tebaldi; Lovotti, Ghiraldini (capt), Ferrari; Ruzza, Budd; Tuivaiti, Steyn, Mbanda. Subs: Bigi, Traore, Pasquali, Sisi, Zanni, Palazzani, McKinley, Castello. IRELAND: Kearney; Earls, Farrell, Aki, Stockdale; Sexton, Murray; Kilcoyne, Cronin, Furlong, Dillane, Roux, O’Mahony (capt), Murphy, O’Brien. Subs: N Scannell, J McGrath, John Ryan, Henderson, van der Flier, Cooney, Carty, Conway. Referee: Glen Jackson (New Zealand). TV: Live on ITV at 2.15pm, kick-off 3pm tomorrow.