Match preview and thread: IRE v ITA (Sat 10th Feb 14:15) TV3, ITV & FR2

So the hype train is in the station and patiently waiting for the station master's whistle. It's been one of the fastest rises in Irish rugby history, reminiscent of the coming of BOD. Yes folks, Andrew Porter will likely see time off the bench on Saturday to make his six nations debut. Meanwhile at the other platform, another less heralded under-hyped international debut for Jordan Larmour is also possible. Having been compared to Christian Cullen and with the ability to step off either foot at pace and bamboozle defenders, young Larmour has had a meteoric rise from being an under 20 international just this time last year to a fully formed professional rugby player in the space of just four months. Nobody's betting against him getting his first international cap on Saturday to replace either Rob Kearney or the ageing Jacob Stockdale.

Also getting his first six nations start is Mr. Faceplant himself; Jack Conan. A pacy number eight with the ability to offload and cover breaks, Conan has been waiting for his chance for what must seem to him like decades. Injury to Jamie Heaslip has seen him step up to fill the gap at Leinster and a massively attritional day in the trenches in Paris for CJ STander has given the twenty-five year old his opportunity to showcase his wares at the Aviva. A typical barnstorming run on Saturday will give Joe Schmidt a welcome headache in what is becoming a much depleted back row division.

But back to the bench and the emergence of Andrew Porter. A tight head prop in the mould of the veteran Tadhg Furlong; now in the twilight of the beginning of his career, Porter can run like a gazelle, fend like a bull elephant and scrummage like a landslide. Some say that as a baby, he could leap from his cot and push it into his parent's bedroom demanding to be fed. Whatever about his formative years, he has, like his ageing predecessor, leapt into the professional ranks fully formed.

The rest of the squad are what are left after the heroics in Paris. Cian Healy and Jack McGrath continue with their musical chairs and James Ryan retires to nurse his aching groin, to be replaced by big Dev Toner. On the bench, Quinn Roux fills in for the absence of Ryan and Joey Carbery, who spent a frustrating week practicing drop kicks from the halfway mark eagerly awaits his first appearance in this year's six nations when the demigod - Jonny Sexton, is dragged kicking and screaming from the pitch. Dan Leavy, who replaced the unfortunately injured Josh 'chops' Van der Flier, continues work on his new book: "Rugby and DIY facial reconstruction".

And what of Italy? Conor O'Shea seems intent on winding up his opposition by lavishing paraise on everyone from Joe Schmidt to Ethel the tea lady (on loan from Ulster). In a continuation of his mind games from last year that bamboozled Eddie Jones and the rest of the England brains trust, O'Shea has cleverly selected four Tommaso's in the backs to confuse the Irish defence. The man has no depths he can't plumb to get every advantage for his team. Expect much confusion in the Irish midfield as Violi calls 'Tommaso' at every attacking ruck.

As with all games against Italy, we will be anticipating tries scored from every direction, only to be disappointed to realise that they intend to put up a fight. If Ireland don't start at a fast pace and get some scores on the board, it could be trench warfare until the second half, when the bench escape and wreak havoc on a tiring Italian defence.

The bookies aren't sure whether it's Ireland by 34 or 36, so we'll go with that.