PAUL O’CONNELL AND Rob Kearney sat out Ireland training this morning, while Cian Healy took only a limited part in the session at Carton House.
Team manager Mick Kearney also revealed that Luke Fitzgerald and Eoin Reddan will not be available for selection this weekend against Wales as their recoveries from abdominal muscle and calf injuries, respectively, continue. Both players are expected to be released back to Leinster next week in order to play.
Neither Tommy Bowe nor Donnacha Ryan will line out for their provinces this weekend, but it is hoped that they will get some game time the week after. The Ulster wing and Munster lock are recovering from groin and knee injuries respectively.
Healy stood out of the running section of this morning’s session, but did take part in the scrummaging portion. The loosehead prop had been feeling the fatigue after a “heavy shift against Scotland.” Rob Kearney took a knock to his calf on Sunday, but is expected to train fully on Thursday.
O’Connell missed the win over Scotland with a chest infection, from which the Ireland camp remain confident he will recover from in time to start against the Welsh on Saturday. He did not participate in training this morning, but is gradually recovering from his “heavy” chest infection and is expected back on the field on Thursday.
He’s up and about since yesterday,” said Mick Kearney this afternoon. “He was up all day yesterday, he’s been up all day today. He was out in the fresh air. He was quite vocal at last night’s review meeting and again out on the pitch before they started to train. I’d be pretty confident that he will make a good recovery and be available for Saturday.”
The Ireland manager underlined that Healy’s limited involvement this morning was mainly down to “a bit of wear and tear. It’s nothing significant. The fact that he did take part in the scrummaging session obviously would be a very positive sign.”
Rob Kearney “took a fairly hefty blow in the lead-up to Andrew Trimble’s try, which was on his shoulder, but that’s fine. His calf just tightened up post-game. He didn’t remember a particular incident, but it appears he took a kick at some stage. He stepped out more as a precautionary measure.”
Ireland’s training session this morning consisted of a light run out, with a major focus on organization and positioning as the physically demanding six-day turnaround between matches is intelligently managed. No additional players have been added to the squad this week.
Luke Fitzgerald’s woes would give you a pain in your arse. I can’t even begin to think how he must feel with injury after injury.
Shame Luke Fitz isn’t fit. He could have made a really difference on Saturday
Tommy Bowe back next Friday
If you can’t see the class and quality in a player like Fitz you just can’t see. It does not mean its not there it just means you can’t see.
His injury history is dreadful, he just seems to be always coming back from injury a real shame for the player as he was looking good up to last week.
What’s injury does Fitzgerald have? Is he out for the 5 games?
Abdominal muscle injury for Fitzgerald and a calf problem for Reddan. If they get game time for Leinster next week, they could come back into the frame for the last few matches of the championship. Hopefully that proves to be the case, particularly for Fitzgerald, who was in superb form.
Yeah we could really do with Luke Fitzgerald chipping in with another 2 tries over the course of his next 29 caps
#prolific
#superstar
Better than the tally of any keyboard warrior
With respect lads, I see all the red thumbs, I’m not here to troll, I just can’t understand the popular opinion about Fitzgerald… His record speaks for itself.. And it’s poor….
It’s not soccer. What he contributes is line breaks and beating defenders. He can finish too, but if he puts someone else in for a try, that’s all that matters.
How can you defend his try scoring record?
You could say the same about D’Arcy. Hardly the most prolific try scorer with Ireland either. Would you have left a D’Arcy in his prime out of your test XV? Hardly. Their value is to the team’s performance as a unit. You can be guaranteed their work contributes to scores and of equal importance stopping them
D’Arcy is a 12, Fitzgerald has played 99% of his rugby in the back 3 positions! I’m not denying he is quality for Leinster but his not anywhere near a top notch international back! He wouldn’t get into any other back line in 6 nations
Apart from Wales, he would be a cert for every backline
I don’t have too because I see the tries he scores when fit that others would probably never get. I see the line breaks he makes that allows others to score. Trimble is a good player I like him he even got a try at the weekend but it was a run in, the team scored it. Would Trimble be in the side if Bowe, Fitz, Zebo, Earls and Gilroy was fit. I don’t think so but I would never doubt his honest endeavour when ever he does pull on the jersey.
What are you saying Andrew? That he hasn’t been fit for his 30 odd caps?
And I do appreciate that it’s a team game and he does bring certain qualities, but surely an international winger must be a finisher…
2 trys v Italy in 29 appearances is absolutely dreadful..
And for those trying to make a case for him, ye’re not really made a very compelling one…
And he would NOT start ahead of medard, Lamont or north….
Lamont? There ya go, youve just proved youre either trolling or talking sh1te.
Fitzgerald was rushed back too soon. He should never have been called up to the squad. He should have been left in Leinster to get more game time and get himself strong.
Says the man crying for Zebo to play last weekend