Conan was substituted during the first half of the match and later seen on the bench wearing a protective moon boot. Despite initial optimism from head coach Andy Farrell regarding Conan’s injury, it was decided that he would benefit from staying in Dublin for rehabilitation instead of joining the team at the warm weather training camp in the Algarve. Simon Easterby, the Ireland defence coach, commented on Conan’s availability for the upcoming match against England, stating that they would have a better idea next week once a full assessment had been made.
In addition to Conan, Jimmy O’Brien and Craig Casey were also forced off due to injuries during the Italian victory. However, both backs were considered fit enough to travel with the squad to their training camp. The arrival at the camp also meant that all 41 players in the wider squad were present, including captain Johnny Sexton, who is set to participate in a training session against the Portuguese national side.
Sexton, who is serving a suspension for misconduct, has recovered from a groin injury he sustained during the Grand Slam win over England in March. While he will be involved in the training session against Portugal, Easterby clarified that it would not be a full-fledged game but rather a conditioned training session. The session was developed in collaboration with the Portuguese coaches to provide a different training experience and challenge for the team.
Easterby acknowledged that Ireland’s performance against Italy was not exceptional, but saw it as an opportunity to test the team and continue preparations for the World Cup. He highlighted the areas where the team performed well and identified areas for improvement. The upcoming weeks will allow the team to build their performance for the matches against England and Samoa.
Easterby emphasized that the selected players have the potential to go to the World Cup, and their performance in training and conditioning will play a significant role in final selections. The coaches aim to gather more information about the individual players and make informed decisions based on their growth and development during this period.
Overall, the team is focused on building a strong performance and making the right choices for the World Cup.
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