Les Kiss: World Cup squad places are still ‘open’

Les Kiss insists the Ireland team management remains “very open” to players elbowing their way into the final panel of 31 for the Rugby World Cup when the side faces Wales in the third warm-up Test – and last before the squad deadline – this Saturday.

Joe Schmidt and the other 19 team coaches have until Sunday to inform World Rugby of their chosen names, after which Ireland will face England in Twickenham in the last of their rehearsals before the real thing gets underway in mid-September.

It promises to be a busy weekend for the brains trust, with the game at the Aviva Stadium to be followed by DVD reruns of the Wales outing and those provincial pre-season games involving other fringe members of the Ireland panel on Friday, as well as the inevitable medical briefings.