Tadhg Furlong trained fully with the Ireland squad on Tuesday and is expected to come into the team to face Italy on Saturday.
The 33-year-old 91-cap forward missed the Guinness Six Nations defeat to France last Thursday as he continued his recovery from a calf issue.
The Wexford man last played for Leinster against Bayonne in the Champions Cup but came off after just 16 minutes.
Tighthead props Thomas Clarkson and Finlay Bealham featured in solid scrummaging effort in the 36-14 loss in Paris but, if cleared, Furlong would be a huge boost to Irish hopes.
“He’s healthy. He’s massive [for us]. He’s trained now. We’ve done live scrums today. We’re doing a few more tomorrow,” scrum coach John Fogarty told RTÉ Sport and confirmed that everyone else trained fully and is available for selection.
Tadhg Furlong (l) alongside Rónan Kelleher and Tom O’Toole (r)
“So he has completed all his bits and he was in live scrums. He did the session. It’s brilliant to have a player like him back.
“He’s played three Lions Series and nine Tests in those series so he brings in all the experience and confidence and so on. So, yeah, it’s massive.
“Everyone else trained, as far as I’m aware. Everyone trained fully. Yeah, I’m so focused on my guys [the forwards] that I sometimes miss some of those backs.”
John Fogarty spoke to media in Dublin on Tuesday afternoon
Over the last 11 months, Andy Farrell’s side have lost to France, twice, New Zealand and South Africa, with the lowest margin of defeat 11 points, against the Springboks, in those games.
Amid much doom and gloom surrounding Irish rugby, exacerbated by heavy defeats for the Ireland U20 and XV selections, Fogarty said the team is not thinking of the bigger picture.
Focus instead has to be on the visit of the Azzurri, who have never won in Dublin in the championship and began their campaign with a hard-fought 18-15 victory over Scotland in Rome.
“They [the squad] are very much in the here and now as people,” said the former Munster, Connacht and Leinster hooker.
“I think the bigger picture stuff, maybe I’m wrong, I guess everyone’s a little bit different, I haven’t thought about that too much. That’s just me.
“I’m sure there’s other guys that will consider that massively.
“That hasn’t been spoken about or… as a coaching group, it’s not been mentioned.
“What we’re focused on is making sure we front up as an Irish team. I said it at half-time that we have character, that we represent where we’re from properly.
“I think that’s what’s on our mind. And I think there is an understanding within the group that if we do our stuff well, we’re going to be a very difficult team to play against.
“So that’s where we’re at, I think, mentally.”
Ireland had not lost an opening game in the Six Nations since 2021, to Wales away, and while Fogarty expects a reaction, he said getting that right response requires work.
“I think a reaction doesn’t happen just because you didn’t go as well the week before,” added the 48-year-old.
“That’s why I’m talking about…the understanding of what it is they’re capable of, making that really clear.
“I think they’ll be frustrated and there’ll be a reaction of sorts, but a connected, joined-up reaction is what we’re looking for.
“And it will need to be against Italy, good side, well-coached across their back-line.
“They’ve got threats, strong, quick.
“We’ll see the kicking game again. Monte Ioane will be firing off the lines. I know [Ange] Capuozzo is back, so plenty of guys to chase.
“So it’ll all be out there in the field and we need to make sure we’re the best version of ourselves.”
Farrell will name his team to take on Italy on Thursday at 2pm.
Watch Ireland v Wales in the Under-20 Six Nations on Friday from 7.25pm on RTÉ2 and RTÉ Player. Watch Scotland v England on RTÉ Player
Follow a live blog on Ireland v Italy in the Six Nations on Saturday from 2.10pm on the RTÉ News App and on rte.ie/sport. Listen to commentary on Saturday Sport on RTÉ Radio 1