Once more with feeling then. Rare indeed is the day when Irish rugby selectors feel inclined or able to announce an unchanged international team.
But for only the eighth time in a decade Ireland will go into an international with the same starting line-up for successive matches when hosting the Italians this Saturday at Lansdowne Road.
Management resisted temptation for change, most notably when retaining Ronan O'Gara at out-half ahead of David Humphreys, and instead gave a vote of confidence to the young tyros who kick-started the record 44-22 win over Scotland last Saturday week.
The squad trained at Dr Hickey Park in Greystones for Saturday's game when Ireland will be seeking something almost as rare as an unchanged team, successive championship victories for the first time since 1993.
