Injured or not, Sheehan 'is type of player' worthy of World Cup call 

Ireland have brought Munster’s uncapped Diarmuid Barron to southern France this week to augment their hooking contingent with Ronan Kelleher, Rob Herring and Tom Stewart all part of the original extended training squad.

VITAL COG: Dan Sheehan of Ireland goes down with an injury during the Bank of Ireland Nations Series match between Ireland and England. Pic: Harry Murphy/Sportsfile

Ireland will not cast aside injured hooker Dan Sheehan form their World Cup plans, even if he will not pass fit for the pool stages.

Such is the regard in which the 24-year-old is held by the Irish management that the foot injury he sustained in last Saturday’s 29-10 victory over England will not keep him out of his first World Cup, which for the Grand Slam winners gets underway in 18 days against Pool B minnows Romania.