Final outings for Conor Murray, Peter O'Mahony and Cian Healy will give Ireland 'special motivation' against Italy

MUNSTER Rugby stalwarts Conor Murray and Peter O'Mahony's final home fixture in the green of Ireland ended in disappointment on Saturday as France secured a resounding 42-27 victory in the Six Nations Championship at the Aviva Stadium.

O'Mahony started the game in the Ireland back-row, while Murray was introduced as a second half replacement. The Munster duo will be involved in their final game for Ireland this Saturday when the side visit the Stadio Olimpico in Rome for a final round Six Nations clash with Italy.

Munster winger Calvin Nash received a late call-up into Ireland's starting XV after James Lowe picked up a back injury in the warm-up.

Leinster back-row Josh van der Flier said Murray, O'Mahony and Cian Healy, who is also retiring from international rugby next Saturday, were ‘icons of Irish rugby’.

“When I was in school, those lads (O’Mahony, Healy and Murray) were my heroes. They were the icons of Irish rugby, and Irish rugby legends now.

“I certainly feel a sense of pressure now that we want to make them proud and send them off the way they deserve to be.

“There will be special motivation next week to have a good one for them,” van der Flier said.

2022 World Player of the Year Van der Flier added: “We probably got quite used to having a winning feeling in the dressing room, especially here at home.

“I particularly felt for the three lads on their 50th caps and the other three playing their last Six Nations game at home.

“That was a pretty tough situation because obviously it was a very special occasion for them and we couldn’t get the victory we wanted to get for them."