Injury challenges Irish depth but O’Connell keeps faith in system

The Ireland great  is just over a year into his role as forwards coach

FULLY FOCUSED: James Ryan during Ireland’s open training at the Aviva Stadium as they continue preparations for the Six Nations trip to Twickenham to face England on March 12. Picture: Inpho/Morgan Treacy

There’s no good time to lose a man of Andrew Porter’s class but 10 days out from a trip to Twickenham, and 10 years on from a haunting experience at the same stadium, must rank as a particularly regrettable juncture.

A decade has passed but the memories of that disaster at HQ, when Mike Ross went off injured early on, Tom Court migrated from his normal station as loosehead to tighthead, and Ireland were mauled at the setpiece, remain all too vivid.