Garry Ringrose could be available for Ireland’s Guinness Six Nations finale away to Italy after being handed a three-match ban for his red card against Wales.
The Leinster centre’s suspension covers his province’s United Rugby Championship clash with Cardiff on Saturday, plus his country’s upcoming championship fixtures against France and the Azzurri.
However, the sanction will be reduced by one match if Ringrose successfully completes World Rugby’s coaching intervention programme, meaning he would be available to feature in Rome on Saturday, March 15.
Subject to defeating France a week earlier in Dublin, back-to-back champions Ireland, who are seeking an unprecedented third consecutive Six Nations title, could complete the Grand Slam at Stadio Olimpico.
Ringrose was dismissed in the 34th minute of his country’s 27-18 round-three win in Cardiff on Saturday following head-on-head contact with Wales centre Ben Thomas.
The 30-year-old was initially sin-binned before the punishment was confirmed as a 20-minute red card on review, leaving Ireland to play with 14 men until Bundee Aki was able to come on as a second-half replacement.
Ringrose accepted he committed an act of foul play and showed remorse when he appeared before an independent disciplinary committee on Thursday.
In light of that and the player’s previous good record, the panel applied a maximum 50 per cent reduction to his sanction, having determined the mid-range entry point of six weeks/matches was appropriate for an infringement deemed “reckless”.
Meanwhile, captain Caelan Doris is “in with a shout” of facing France on March 8.
Number eight Doris missed Ireland’s victory over Wales because of a knee issue.
The 26-year-old and hooker Ronan Kelleher, who sat out in Cardiff due to a neck problem, trained with Simon Easterby’s squad on Thursday morning at an open session at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin.
Prop Tadhg Furlong was again absent, yet to feature in this year’s championship because of a calf injury after missing Ireland’s autumn fixtures with a torn hamstring.
Assistant coach Paul O’Connell provided an upbeat update on the trio and back-rower Jack Conan, who started in place of Doris and scored the opening try at the Principality Stadium before being forced off by a back injury, on Thursday afternoon.
“Everyone is fine,” O’Connell told reporters, according to RTE Sport.
“Caelan has been running for the last week, he ran today so he’s certainly in with a shout of being involved.
“I know Ronan Kelleher trained today. No one is ruled out, they are all carrying bumps and bruises but they’re OK.”
Tighthead Furlong has returned to Leinster to continue his rehabilitation.
“He’ll be rejoining us next week so no one is ruled out at this point,” added O’Connell.
“I don’t think he’s available for Leinster this weekend, no.”
Asked about the uncertainty surrounding the 32-year-old, O’Connell replied: “I just think because there’s been a few false starts, he wants to be sure about it, and the medics want to be sure about it and not have another false start.
“I’d say if he had no history with that calf he might be back by now but they just want to make sure and he wants to feel sure and feel confident himself as well.”
