It’s hard to recall any Irish coach describing the absence through injury of a Brian O’Driscoll or a Paul O’Connell or a John Hayes as “a good thing” and certainly not in the slipstream of a white-knuckle ride with the All Blacks.

An exact return date remains unclear, but the signs are that Cian Healy will not just make the Rugby World Cup but that the powerful prop will feature in the warm-up clashes.