Jared Payne has been named in the 37-man Ireland squad for the two remaining Six Nations fixtures against Wales and England.
Payne hasn’t featured at international level since picking up an injury during last November’s 27-24 win over Australia.
But he made his return to action last Sunday, enjoying a 20-minute cameo during Ulster’s 40-17 win over Zebre, and he should start for the province against Treviso on Friday night.
However the Kiwi will have work to do to force his way back into Joe Schmidt’s starting XV given the impressive performances of Garry Ringrose in the tournament’s first three rounds.
Elsewhere Joey Carbery has also been named is Schmidt’s squad, while there is no place for Munster’s Ian Keatley.
In the forwards Leinster’s Jack Conan has been named, and with the squad meeting on Saturday he is one of a number of players who will be unavailable for provincial selection this weekend.
Ireland squad: Forwards: Rory Best (Banbridge/Ulster) (c) 102 caps, Jack Conan (Old Belvedere/Leinster) 1 cap, Ultan Dillane (Corinthians/Connacht) 10 caps, Tadhg Furlong (Clontarf/Leinster) 14 caps, Cian Healy (Clontarf/Leinster) 65 caps, Jamie Heaslip (Dublin University/Leinster) (vc) 94 caps, Iain Henderson (Ballynahinch/Ulster) 30 caps, Dave Kilcoyne (UL Bohemians/Munster) 17 caps, Dan Leavy (UCD/Leinster) 1 cap, Jack McGrath (St. Mary's College/Leinster) 39 caps, Sean O'Brien (UCD/Leinster) 47 caps, Tommy O'Donnell (UL Bohemians/Munster) 12 caps, Peter O'Mahony (Cork Constitution/Munster) 38 caps, Quinn Roux (Galwegians/Connacht) 1 cap, Donnacha Ryan (Shannon/Munster) 45 caps, John Ryan (Cork Constitution/Munster) 4 cap, Niall Scannell (Dolphin/Munster) 2 cap, CJ Stander (Shannon/Munster) 13 caps, Devin Toner (Lansdowne/Leinster) 45 caps, James Tracy (UCD/Leinster) 2 caps.
Backs: Joey Carbery (Clontarf/Leinster) 3 caps, Andrew Conway (Garryowen/Munster) *,Keith Earls (Young Munster/Munster) 57 caps, Craig Gilroy (Bangor/Ulster) 10 caps, Robbie Henshaw (Buccaneers/Leinster) 27 caps, Paddy Jackson (Dungannon/Ulster) 22 caps, Rob Kearney (UCD/Leinster) 75 caps, Kieran Marmion (Corinthians/Connacht) 11 caps, Luke Marshall (Ballymena/Ulster) 9 caps, Luke McGrath (UCD/Leinster) 1 cap, Conor Murray (Garryowen/Munster) 56 caps, Tiernan O'Halloran (Buccaneers/Connacht) 3 caps, Jared Payne (Ulster) 19 caps, Garry Ringrose (UCD/Leinster) 6 caps, Jonathan Sexton (St Mary's College/Leinster) 64 caps, Andrew Trimble (Ballymena/Ulster) 70 caps, Simon Zebo (Cork Constitution/Munster) 31 caps.
*Denotes uncapped player
