Kidney: Players need kid-glove treatment

Ireland’s battle-weary rugby players will need to be nursed through this week for Saturday’s RBS Six Nations finale against England, according to head coach Declan Kidney.

The fresh bangs and knocks sustained in beating Scotland at the Aviva Stadium last Saturday will be assessed when the squad regroups at Carton House today following a well-earned day off and the Ireland medical staff are expecting Sean O’Brien’s return to training tomorrow after he missed the 32-14 victory due to a skin infection on his foot.

“For those asking, I wasn’t at the game, I had to keep the foot up for the day, nearly there now, everyone played very well!” he tweeted on Saturday.