Ireland will take on Italy on Sunday with the same starting side who overcame France 30-21 in their Six Nations rugby opener.

Paddy Wallace was thought to be under threat at inside center from Gordon D'Arcy but head coach Declan Kidney has opted not to drop the Ulster back.

D'Arcy marked his test return from a broken arm which kept him out of the game for 10 months with the crucial final try against France after appearing as a substitute for Wallace.

Wallace left the pitch in the first half with blood streaming from an eye wound, which required stitches, but has been given the all-clear to face Italy.

Ireland won 51-24 on its last trip to Rome in 2007.

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IRELAND: Robert Kearney, Tommy Bowe, Brian O'Driscoll (captain), Paddy Wallace, Luke Fitzgerald, Ronan O'Gara, Tomas O'Leary; Marcus Horan, Jerry Flannery, John Hayes, Donncha O'Callaghan, Paul O'Connell, Stephen Ferris, David Wallace, Jamie Heaslip.

Replacements: Rory Best, Tom Court, Malcolm O'Kelly, Denis Leamy, Peter Stringer, Gordon D'Arcy, Geordan Murphy.

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