Six Nations 2021: Jacob Stockdale to miss Italy fixture with knee injury
Last updated on .From the section Irish Rugby
Ulster back Jacob Stockdale will miss Ireland's Six Nations trip to Italy after failing to recover from a knee injury.
Head coach Andy Farrell had hoped Stockdale would recover in time for the game in Rome on 27 February.
Conor Murray, Johnny Sexton and James Ryan have been named in the 36-man squad after overcoming injury concerns.
Ireland are without a victory after defeats by Wales and France.
Stockdale was injured in Ulster's inter-provincial derby with Munster at the beginning of January. Farrell had stated he hoped the 24-year-old would be available for Ireland's third match of the tournament.
However Ireland have been handed a boost by the return of half-backs Murray and Sexton along with second row Ryan.
Captain Sexton and Ryan missed the defeat by France following concussions sustained in the opening game against Wales. Murray sat out the game in Dublin with a hamstring injury.
Ulster fly-half Billy Burns is also included after coming off for a head injury assessment in the France match.
The quartet's inclusion means there is no place in the squad for Ulster scrum-half John Cooney, in-form Connacht fly-half Jack Carty, promising Leinster back Harry Byrne or Munster forward Gavin Coombes.
Forwards: Baird, Beirne, E Byrne, Conan, Connors, Dillane, Furlong, Healy, Heffernan, Henderson, Herring, Kelleher, Kilcoyne, O'Toole, Porter, Ruddock, Ryan, Stander, van der Flier.
Backs: Aki, Burns, R Byrne, Casey, Conway, Daly, Earls, Farrell, Gibson Park, Henshaw, Keenan, Larmour, Lowe, McCloskey, Murray, Ringrose, Sexton,
