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35-YEAR-OLD loosehead prop Cian Healy has been ruled out of the World Cup after his injury during Ireland’s warm-up win over Samoa last night.
Healy is not part of Andy Farrell’s final 33-man squad, with Munster loosehead Jeremy Loughman making the group along with Andrew Porter and Dave Kilcoyne.
It’s a cruel blow for Healy, who had been set to play in his fourth World Cup, but will now have to watch on from home after picking up a serious injury in last night’s clash with Samoa in Bayonne.
Ulster centre Stuart McCloskey is one of those to be named in Farrell’s group, which is made up of an 18/15 split of forwards and backs.
31-year-old McCloskey will travel to his first World Cup as one of four centres in the Irish squad. Munster wing Keith Earls has also made the group.
Hookers Dan Sheehan and Rónan Kelleher have been named in the squad and are set to overcome foot and hamstring injuries, respectively, while loosehead prop Kilcoyne [hamstring] and number eight Jack Conan [foot] are also included after being sidelined in recent weeks.
38-year-old Johnny Sexton will captain the squad in his fourth World Cup.
The players from Ireland’s wider pre-season squad to miss out on selection are Tom Stewart, Cian Prendergast, Ciarán Frawley, and Jacob Stockdale.
Farrell has named three out-halves in Sexton, Ross Byrne, and Jack Crowley, as well as three scrum-halves in Jamison Gibson-Park, Conor Murray, and Craig Casey.
Ireland have opted for three looseheads, three tightheads, and three hookers too, giving them depth in each of those specialist positions.
Farrell has named four locks in James Ryan, Iain Henderson, Joe McCarthy, and Tadhg Beirne, who can play at blindside flanker too. Ryan Baird is also a lock/blindside hybrid.
The first-choice back row of Peter O’Mahony, Josh van der Flier, and Caelan Doris are supplemented by Baird and Conan.
Earls and Jimmy O’Brien provide back three options along with the front-line trio of James Lowe, Mack Hansen, and Hugo Keenan, while McCloskey is one of four centres along with Bundee Aki, Robbie Henshaw, and Garry Ringrose.
Loosehead props: Andrew Porter, Jeremy Loughman, Dave Kilcoyne
Tighthead props: Tadhg Furlong, Finlay Bealham, Tom O’Toole
Hookers: Dan Sheehan, Rob Herring, Rónan Kelleher
Second rows: James Ryan, Tadhg Beirne, Iain Henderson, Joe McCarthy
Back rows: Josh van der Flier, Peter O’Mahony, Caelan Doris, Ryan Baird, Jack Conan,
Scrum-halves: Jamison Gibson-Park, Conor Murray, Craig Casey
Out-halves: Johnny Sexton (captain), Ross Byrne, Jack Crowley
Centres: Bundee Aki, Robbie Henshaw, Garry Ringrose, Stuart McCloskey
Back threes: James Lowe, Mack Hansen, Hugo Keenan, Keith Earls, Jimmy O’Brien
Written by Murray Kinsella and posted on the42.ie
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Hard luck to those that did not make the cut. The supporters won’t forget the hard work that has been done to get the team ready and how crucial everyone has been. Great players, small margins. Well done everyone.
@Modern Irish Dad: Thanks to players who followed the laws of the game to a tee and stood shoulder to shoulder for the team of us #RugbyValues
Ughh! Poor Cian last night, the poor man’s face was grey with the pain. So unfortunate for him. He’ll be missed. Hope he has a speedy recovery….and some good painkillers.
World Cup winning squad right there!
@Declan G: every nation has a sprinkling from other nations. Ireland didn’t make those rules, just playing the game.
@TheGood Feign: a sprinkling would suggest it’s only one or two!
Absolutely gutted for Cian Healy, such a deserving player.
Delighted for Earlsy though, well deserved.
Delighted for Earl’s but our French neighbours is only across the road so anyone who’s in the squad has a chance
This loss is huge. Equivalent to when Roy Keane walked out of the world cup in Saipan, only Cian cannot walk.
@Canada Goose G Dog: class player but in fairness as a team and a nation we are evolving
@Robert Halvey: a bit sad as his last shot at glory. Poor guy.
Gutted for those left out. Speaks volumes to the depth of the squad. The most open WC in recent years. England in tatters, the mighty all blacks not so mighty. Jones continues where he left off – rubbish. Do we dare to dream…..
Awful shame for the lad
If Heine can then Healy can!
don’t have any issue with this team announcement. the real point is that players will get dragged in as required. from a Connacht perspective disappointing for Henderson but more than likely he will feature in the later games of the competition so why should I feel sorry for him. So the correct initial choice. Much will change
Good to see Killer made the cut. Hopefully we can now go on and win the world cup.
Modern medical practice might give the person a chance and in the meantime , shit happens it’s how we deal with it that makes the difference
I wonder is the taxpayer paying for any Irish fans who are travelling to France to watch the World Cup Rugby as in the clients of RTE. Of course their trips to Japan 4 years ago was more galling. They should be named. No doubt educated in one of the private secondary schools in Ireland which in last years budget the government paid the schools 112mllion euro. It is in those types of schools where Rugby in Ireland originated. I for one wont waste a second
Yet another Rugby World Cup with a 38 year old captain. This time our Captain has shocking discipline. Best thing to happen is he gets first two games in, maybe the first half against Boks also and we can have a proper run at knockout rugby for a change. He’s had 3 previous WC’s and we still didn’t win a QF, what can he give us at 38 that he didn’t give us at 26, 30 and 34??!
hhh
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