Joe Schmidt's choices for Ireland's game against Scotland narrowed after Tuesday Irish training as centre Garry Ringrose and lock Devin Toner were both ruled out for the Murrayfield clash.
Ringrose gingerly left the pitch against England in Saturday's Six Nations opener with a hamstring problem and Toner with an ankle injury, thought to be an old one that flared up. Both issues will keep them from playing on Saturday.
“Devin’s ruled out for this week with his ankle and Garry Ringrose also,” said Irish scrum coach Greg Feek. “His hamstring isn’t quite right so he won’t be with us either.”
Keith Earls, who was bombed with high balls by the England backs and replaced by Jordan Larmour at half time, has quickly recovered from his hip pointer injury.
“Earlsy’s flying around there, he’s pretty good ... being Earlsy, he’s a tough character. He marches on and the medical staff have done a great job with him as well,” explained Feek.
“We’ve got the fallow week after (Scotland) so it does give us a bit of a window. With the way the S&C department work. We’ll have to wait and see. Devin’s so tall, with his ankle, he’s got to get his balance back and he’ll be right.”
The injuries add to players who have not yet declared themselves fit to play including secondrows Iain Henderson and Tadhg Beirne, while fullback Rob Kearney, who missed out on selection to Robbie Henshaw against England, could come back in, with Henshaw moving to his regular centre position. It depends on how Joe Schmidt calls his backline. Munster’s Chris Farrell is another option in the centre.
“He’s good. He got through yesterday and today. I’d say so. Rob gets on with it,” said Feek about the Irish fullback. “When his body’s feeling good, he’s got good energy and experience. I’d say he’s probably delivering coffees to Joe over the last few days as well.
“Hendy’s still a wee way away. He’s got a bit of a reputation for healing quite quickly, but he’s still a wee way away. Tadhg (Beirne) could be right in a couple of weeks.”
Feek was also very positive about the input of Connacht lock Quinn Roux, who came into the England match, when Toner hobbled to the sideline.
“Quinn did really well at the weekend. He came on and put a couple of big hits in. He’s been leading the lineout in Connacht this year, he’s really progressed there and matured as a player.
“He’s been in our environment since the South Africa tour (2016). Good in the scrum, mauling, as a tight forward he ticks a lot of the boxes. Luckily for us, we have good depth there at the moment.”
