Richie Murphy confident Cian Healy will make World Cup

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.

Leinster skills coach Richie Murphy, who is also part of Joe Schmidt’s Ireland coaching staff, suggested as much yesterday when reporting that the loosehead’s neck surgery had gone encouragingly well last week.

Healy is one of Ireland’s accepted world-class performers and the hope is that he will be able to take some part in the preparatory outings against Wales (twice), Scotland and England in August and early September.