Donnacha willing to break pain barrier

Donnacha Ryan’s shoulder may make him a doubt to face France on March 9 but Ireland’s lineout leader is ready to go through the pain barrier to prove himself fit and fight for Declan Kidney’s future as head coach.

The Munster forward cuts a more optimistic figure than the official medical bulletin suggests after he was diagnosed with a bruised AC joint suffered in the defeat to Scotland on Sunday and rated as “somewhat less than 50/50” to play against the French at the Aviva Stadium in eight days.

“Hopefully I might train [today] and we’ll take it from there and hopefully I’ll be available for selection,” Ryan said yesterday as Ireland reconvened at Carton House for a two-day camp.