Injured trio return as Italian job looms

PAUL O’CONNELL, Tommy Bowe and Gordon D’Arcy all returned to training yesterday as Ireland began final preparations for this Sunday’s must-win World Cup Pool C game against Italy.

All three players missed last weekend’s 62-12 romp over Russia, having picked up knocks in the previous week’s famous win over Australia.

D’Arcy, though, took a full part in yesterday’s training session at the famous old Carisbrook Stadium in Dunedin and was said by the Irish camp to have done so without any reaction as he continued his recovery programme from a hamstring strain.