Jack Conan to miss Ireland-Portugal 'conditioned training session'

Johnny Sexton, 38, will be a participant, Easterby confirmed, but he will not be available for Test-match selection until Ireland’s opening Pool B game against Romania.

SOME NECK: Dave Kilcoyne putting in the work in Portugal. Pic: ©INPHO/Dan Sheridan

Ireland have clarified their plans to train with, and not play against, Portugal on the Algarve on Wednesday but Jack Conan will not be available for the session due to a foot injury.

Reports that Andy Farrell’s men, on a warm-weather training camp at Quinta do Lago this week, had arranged a behind-closed-doors match with the World Cup Pool C minnows in order to give captain Johnny Sexton some valuable gametime during his current three-match ban have proven only marginally correct.