The IRFU has confirmed that Robbie Henshaw is ruled out of the rest of Ireland's 2018 Six Nations campaign.
The Leinster and Ireland centre was injured in the process of scoring the home team's fifth try in the 43rd minute of the win against Italy and went off after receiving some treatment on the field.
The IRFU confirmed in an injury update this afternoon that Henshaw injured his shoulder and that he has "undergone a procedure this morning on the injured shoulder and has been ruled out of the remainder of the Championship."
The news will come as a massive blow to Ireland head coach Joe Schmidt who is already without the services of his other Blues centre, Garry Ringrose and Ulster's Jared Payne.
Ringrose is on the return from an ankle injury though, and if he doesn't play for Leinster against Scarlets this Saturday in the Guinness PRO14, he could still be an option for Schmidt heading into the week of the Wales game on February 24 although it comes 7 weeks since the 23-year-old played his last game, against Ulster in the league.
The other option to partner Bundee Aki in the centre would be Chris Farrell although the Munster player has only two caps to his name, with his first and second international appearances coming against Fiji and Argentina last November, alongside Aki.
There was better news on prop Tadhg Furlong who was taken off in the Italy game as a precaution with a tight hamstring and the Leinster man is expected to be available for the visit of Warren Gatland's side, as is provincial team mate Jack Conan who picked up a shoulder knock last Saturday.
