Jeremy Davidson and Peter Clohessy were unable to take part in Ireland's training session in their Clonakilty base yesterday.

Davidson's back strain is also liable to sideline him from today's "open" session in Clonakilty and therefore must create some doubt as to his availability for Sunday's pivotal Pool E game against Australia.

Davidson is "getting there" according to Donal Lenihan and the medical prognosis is encouraging, although as the Irish manager admitted: "If Jeremy isn't 100 per cent right we're not going to risk him, and I doubt if he'll train tomorrow."

By comparison, Clohessy's absence from training with a slight leg injury is thought to be temporary and the old warrior's condition was jokingly dismissed by Lenihan as "old age". There was a sizeable turnout for yesterday's session, as is expected to be the case today. "All of Clonakilty turned out to watch us," said Lenihan. The weather is superb and we had a very good session."

The Irish squad will remain in Clonakilty until Thursday, tomorrow's session is closed, when they well return to their more familiar base in the Finnstown House Hotel, while speculation as to what side the Irish management will pick for Sunday's game will not be resolved until Friday, when the team is announced.