VIDEO: No element of surprise for Ireland in 2015

Ireland head coach Joe Schmidt admits his side lack the surprise element that helped them become Six Nations champions last year.

Schmidt's side went into the 2014 RBS 6 Nations on the back of a fifth-place finish the previous year.

The head coach started just 18 players on the way to that success and will face a test of their strength-in-depth with a number of injury doubts going into next week's opener against Italy.

An extended squad of 46 players was named last week ahead of an Irish Wolfhounds game on Friday against England Saxons.

Schmidt said the pool of players now available to him makes it easier to cope with any absentees, but warned Ireland will not be able to surprise their opponents.

Speaking at the launch of the competition in London today, he said: "We've tried to keep growing that playing base the whole time. We will keep trying to continue to do that.

"At the same time, one of the luxuries we had in the last Six Nations was we started 18 different players.

"When 15 have to take the field each time, there wasn't a lot of turnover. For us this time, with different guys out injured and maybe coming in at different times in the tournament, we may not have quite the same continuity.

"That may be a little more difficult to manage. I think inevitably, when we were fifth the year before, maybe we could sneak up on opponents. I don't think that's a possibility for us this year."

Italy provide Ireland's first test in Rome and the Ireland boss feels it will be a completely different prospect to the 46-7 win last year in the Aviva Stadium.

Ireland have struggled in recent trips to Rome and Schmidt said his players cannot afford to underestimate their opponents.

"They have certainly improved. I thought they had the beating of Argentina" - Joe Schmidt on Italy

"I thought they did really well in the Autumn series. They were very close to South Africa until Havana scored right at the end where they lost by about 15 points.

"Until then it was only an eight-point margin. They have certainly improved. I thought they had the beating of Argentina and Argentina managed to slip through and get that one try in the second half that made the difference.

"They beat Samoa who are always difficult to beat. At the same time for us, Italy, last year when we played them, there was no Sergio Parisse or Alessandro Zanni. They are both back and fully fit to play. Castro Giovanni went off very early in the game.

"I think Edoardo Gori has been playing very well and at the same time in that nine-ten axis, they've added in Kelly Haimona who has been very good for them as well. I thought he had a very strong autumn.

"We're playing a different Italy that we did last year, at a different stage of the tournament, and in a very difficult location.

"The last two times we've been there, we lost in Rome last time and the time before that we needed a last-minute goal from Ronan O'Gara to get us over the line, 13-11. I think if we look anywhere beyond that, it could be very dangerous."

Friday's game against the Saxons will allow Schmidt to assess some of the fringe players and those returning from injury, including Sean O'Brien.

"We've been doing a bit of work in the first part of this week for that match and looking ahead to Italy as well. I think we might be defending champions but this time last year we had finished fifth the previous year.

"It is very much an equal playing field before the Championship starts. Everybody is looking to take their chances. We've got to make sure we are as well prepared as we can be to take ours."

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