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Joey Carbery has been been recalled to the Ireland squad by Andy Farrell for the game against Italy this weekend

MUNSTER AND IRELAND OUT HALF Joey Carbery has been recalled to the Ireland squad for this weekend's Six Nations game against Italy on Saturday (Kick-off 2.15pm).

Cabery was left out of the initial Ireland squad by Andy Farrell pre-tournament, but now returns to fill the void the injured Johnny Sexton has left.

Sexton is still trying to overcome a leg injury from 32-19 win over France in round two.

Carbery has played 37 times for his country but has never succeeded in nailing down a starting spot at 10 because of Sexton's form and injuries.

The 27-year-old will now battle it out with Leinster’s Ross Byrne and his club teammate Jack Crowley for a starting spot against Italy this weekend.

Two other players who has been called up to the Ireland squad are Scott Penny and Kieran Treadwell.

ℹ️ The latest from Ireland camp as the squad build towards Saturday's clash in Rome.#TeamOfUs | #GuinnessSixNations

— Irish Rugby (@IrishRugby) February 20, 2023

In November, Treadwell played against South Africa and Fiji, while Penny represented Emerging Ireland in Bloemfontein against the Griquas and Pumas.

After competing for their respective provinces in the URC over the weekend, Caolin Blade, Gavin Coombes, Jordan Larmour, Jimmy O'Brien, Jamie Osborne, Cian Prendergast, Roman Salanoa, and Jacob Stockdale are also back with the team.

Ireland will also be boosted by the return of Dan Sheehan and Cian Healy who both are included after completing their respective hamstring rehabilitation programmes.

Sadly, Tadhg Beirne, Joe McCarthy, Keith Earls, Jamison Gibson Park, Robbie Henshaw, and Tadhg Furlong are all doubts for the game.

Rob Herring is still following the graded return-to-play guidelines after leaving the pitch against France.

Ireland's game against Italy starts at 14.15pm.

You can watch the game live on RTE TWO.

Ireland Squad – Round 3 2023 Guinness Six Nations Championship:

Backs (17)

Bundee Aki (Connacht/Galwegians) 43 caps
Caolin Blade (Connacht/Galwegians) 1 cap
Ross Byrne (Leinster/UCD) 16 caps
Joey Carbery (Munster/Clontarf) 37 caps
Craig Casey (Munster/Shannon) 9 caps
Jack Crowley (Munster/Cork Constitution) 2 caps
Mack Hansen (Connacht/Corinthians) 10 caps
Hugo Keenan (Leinster/UCD) 27 caps
Jordan Larmour (Leinster/St Marys College) 30 caps
James Lowe (Leinster) 17 caps
Stuart McCloskey (Ulster/Bangor) 11 caps
Conor Murray (Munster/Garryowen) 102 caps
Jimmy O’Brien (Leinster/Naas) 3 caps
Jamie Osborne (Leinster/Naas)*
Garry Ringrose (Leinster/UCD) 49 caps
Johnny Sexton (Leinster/St Mary’s College) 111 caps (c)
Jacob Stockdale (Ulster/Lurgan) 35 caps

Forwards (20)

Ryan Baird (Leinster/Dublin University) 8 caps
Finlay Bealham (Connacht/Buccaneers) 29 caps
Jack Conan (Leinster/Old Belvedere) 35 caps
Gavin Coombes (Munster/Young Munster) 2 caps
Caelan Doris (Leinster/St Mary’s College) 25 caps
Cian Healy (Leinster/Clontarf) 121 caps
Iain Henderson (Ulster/Academy) 70 caps
Rob Herring (Ulster/Ballynahinch) 33 caps
Ronan Kelleher (Leinster/Lansdowne) 19 caps
Dave Kilcoyne (Munster/UL Bohemians) 50 caps
Peter O’Mahony (Munster/Cork Constitution) 91 caps
Tom O’Toole (Ulster/Ballynahinch) 6 caps
Scott Penny (Leinster/UCD)*
Andrew Porter (Leinster/UCD) 50 caps
Cian Prendergast (Connacht/Corinthians) 1 cap
James Ryan (Leinster/UCD) 50 caps
Roman Salanoa (Munster/Shannon)*
Dan Sheehan (Leinster/Lansdowne) 14 caps
Kieran Treadwell (Ulster/Ballymena) 10 caps
Josh van der Flier (Leinster/UCD) 47 caps