John Cooney has been called up to the Ireland squad for the potential Six Nations deciding clash with France in Paris on Saturday.
And Keith Earls could come into the reckoning after completing his rehab programme after a back injury sidelined him in recent weeks.
Ulster scrum-half Cooney has been included as additional cover after Jamison Gibson-Park, who made his debut off the bench in last Saturday's 50-17 defeat of Italy, suffered hamstring tightness.
Cooney had been in line for his first Six Nations start against Italy in March before the Covid-19 shutdown but was then omitted from the first Test squad post lockdown after he was slow to find form and was dropped for the PRO14 final.
The squad returned to Carton House yesterday and will begin preparations for the France clash at the IRFU's high performance centre in Abbotstown today.
As was already known, Garry Ringrose has been ruled out of the remainder of the international window with a suspected broken jaw.
