The injury denies Healy the chance to become Ireland's sixth player to reach 100 caps in this Six Nations campaign.

Finlay Bealham faces a race against time to play any part in the remainder of Connacht’s season after suffering a fractured ankle at the weekend.

Ireland’s management has insisted the team will not miss a beat despite the late change to the pack for tomorrow’s Twickenham showdown.

The big second row's international career appeared to be all but over when Joe Schmidt cut him loose from the Ireland squad that would travel to Japan for the World Cup but he starts for the first time in six months for his country on Sunday against England in Twickenham.

Connacht backs coach Nigel Carolan says another “ruthless” performance is necessary to have any chance against Edinburgh in tonight’s Guinness PRO14 clash (7.35pm, eir Sport).

Niall will lead a team that includes his younger brother Rory and their cousin, Jack O'Sullivan.

Ireland target a Triple Crown on Sunday at Twickenham against England, as they bid to maintain their perfect record in the tournament.

The head coach retained 23 players for a two-day camp in Cork last week, while 13 others returned were released back to their provinces to get game-time.

Ireland hooker Dave Heffernan delivered a man-of-the-match performance as Connacht ran out 29-0 bonus-point winners over Cardiff Blues at the Sportsground.

On the one hand, Andy Friend is delighted that only Bundee Aki is missing on Six Nations duty as Connacht prepare for a real 10-pointer against a Cardiff Blues side who are just below them in the table.

Chris Farrell and Jack O’Donoghue return to Munster.

Meanwhile, uncapped Leinster back-row Will Connors has been drafted into Andy Farrell's squad.

The coaching group have also named four development players who will train with the squad.

Connacht’s hopes of reaching the Heineken Champions Cup knockout stages for the first time died in Galway after they were outgunned by French champions Toulouse who finished with 13 men.

With a €20m boost in funding for their Sportsground redevelopment project in the bag, Andy Friend’s Connacht need to secure victory against French champions Toulouse to keep their hopes of reaching the Champions Cup quarter-finals alive.

Andy Friend has some big names back for their Champions Cup showdown against French champions Toulouse.

First, the good news for Connacht. Yes, there is some.

Quinn Roux’s hopes of returning to the Irish side for the start of the Six Nations have been dashed with the 29-year-old having to undergo surgery for a hand injury.

Dave Kilcoyne makes his return from a calf injury to start for Munster against Connacht in tomorrow's PRO14 clash.

Skipper Jarrad Butler has had to deal with contrasting emotions in the Connacht changing room at the Sportsground this week as several members of his squad dealt with mixed news from the Irish camp.

A week which started with a recall to the Irish squad is set to end in further celebration for Quinn Roux when he makes his 100th appearance for Connacht on Saturday against Munster.

"It’s good but it can be intimidating and if you’re not expecting it, it’s a very challenging place to go."

Connacht coach Andy Friend has told Jack Carty not to panic over his surprise omission from the Irish squad and he’s confident the 27-year old can play his way back on to the international stage.

There's no room for Rob Kearney, Seán Cronin, Jordi Murphy, Jack Carty, John Ryan or Kieran Marmion – with newly eligible Jamison Gibson-Park jumping ahead of the Connacht man at scrum-half.

With the Six Nations kicking off in less than two months, it is the first squad meet-up since the national team returned from Japan.

Saracens have named an almost totally different side to face Munster at Allianz Park tomorrow, while the Reds make one change from their 10-3 home win.

It’s amazing how quickly something can turn for a player and when Conor Fitzgerald was let go from the Munster academy 18 months ago the last thing on his mind would have been lighting up the home of Toulouse with an awesome display in the Heineken Champions Cup.

There are three changes to the team that defeated Ospreys.

Keith Earls will make his first Munster appearance of the season in tomorrow's Champions Cup opener against the Ospreys.

Connacht coach Andy Friend has warned his side can’t afford to get into an “arm wrestle” against Montpellier in their return to the Heineken Champions Cup this weekend.

Ultan Dillane and Kieran Marmion remain as replacement options.

Jamie Heaslip says there are no words to console John Cooney, Mike Haley, and Finlay Bealham – the latest trio to be cut from Ireland's potential Rugby World Cup squad.

Simon Lewis Tadhg Beirne’s role as a potential replacement flanker against Italy at the Aviva Stadium this afternoon underlines how this game is just as important for the bench as it is for Ireland’s starters.

The pressure may be on for Ireland’s World Cup hopefuls to press their claims for a seat on the plane to Japan next month but Andy Farrell has insisted the national team management will not ease the agony for their players until the very last minute.

Ireland head coach Joe Schmidt has departed their Rugby World Cup training camp to go back to New Zealand due to a family bereavement.

Ultan Dillane and Rory Scannell became the first players to be jettisoned from Ireland’s World Cup planning as Joe Schmidt’s training squad was trimmed ahead of Saturday’s opening summer Test against Italy.

Word was that Jean Kleyn kept his eyes open and his mouth mostly shut during his early days in Joe Schmidt’s World Cup warm-up camp.

The squad includes two uncapped players –Mike Haley and Jean Kleyn

A 78th-minute try from Marcell Coetzee helped Ulster book a place in the PRO14 semi-final after beating Irish rivals Connacht 21-13 in a closely-fought encounter at the Kingspan Stadium.

The northern province's take on Connacht tomorrow with Rory Best and Darren Cave looking to exit on a high with a spot in the PRO14 semi-finals up for grabs.

Sean Cronin doesn’t feel he was scapegoated for Ireland’s poor Six Nations display in Italy last month.

Michael Bradley spent most of his seven years at the Sportsground not just wondering if he would be in a job at the end of the season, but rather whether the Connacht team he was coaching would still be in existence.

Connacht coach Andy Friend has made two changes for tomorrow's crucial Guinness Pro14 clash with Cardiff at the Sportsground.