Ireland captain Paul O’Connell believes rookie number eight Jordi Murphy must “play his own game” today rather than worry about his “superstar” opposite number, Italy’s Sergio Parisse.

O’Connell admits it will be “strange” to open the Six Nations against the Azzurri in Rome without his right-hand man Jamie Heaslip.

Vice-captain and near-ever-present number eight Heaslip will miss just his second Six Nations match in Ireland’s last 36, after failing to beat shoulder trouble in time for the Stadio Olimpico clash.