Conan will be available for selection for crucial Scotland clash
AVAILABLE: Jack Conan will be available for selection for Ireland's final group game at the RWC against Scotland. Pic: INPHO/Dan Sheridan
Jack Conan will be in the selection mix for Ireland’s World Cup pool game against Scotland on October, Ireland confirmed on Thursday.
The British & Irish Lions Test No.8 will be in line for his first minutes of France 2023 against Ireland’s Six Nations rivals in Paris in 10 days when the world number one-ranked team bid to finish top of Pool B with an unbeaten record.
Conan, 31, sustained a foot injury against Italy in Ireland’s first pre-tournament Test in August 5 and has been unavailable since, missing summer matches against England and Samoa and the first three games of the World Cup pool campaign, wins over Romania, Tonga and South Africa.
Yet the back-rower was back on the training pitch at Stade de la Chambrerie on Thursday as the Irish squad began their preparations to face the Scots following a three-day break and defence coach Simon Easterby declared Conan ready for selection.
“Jack is back... training. It's all good,” Easterby said.
“Like anything, he has a bit of work to get through but he's in a great place and we're 33 men at the moment, fit and ready to go.
“After a few days’ recovery, lads have come back in good spirits. Everybody was out there today, all 33, running around.”
Easterby said the break, with players allowed to spend time away from camp with their families following last Saturday’s titanic 13-8 victory over the Springboks, had come at a perfect time in Ireland’s pool campaign with a two-week break between matches.
“It was good, it was always the plan to have that little break with the way the schedule was set out. It was good timing for us to spend a bit of time with our families and coming back in everyone is in good spirits and everyone is fit and well. That's always a bonus when you come back in.”
There was also some good news for Easterby to deliver as he revealed centre Stuart McCloskey had become a father for the second time. The Ulster midfielder was granted permission by tournament officials on “compassionate leave” to return home for the birth and was back in time to resume training with the squad on Thursday.
“Stu McCloskey's become a dad for the second time as well which is great, so it's all good news. He's a happy man now.”
The squad had reconvened at their Loire Valley base in Tours ready to knuckle back down for a match they need to win to ensure qualification for the quarter-finals and top spot in Pool B while also recovering from their intense mental and physical contest with the defending champions at Stade de France last Saturday.
“There's a lot of emotional energy spent out on a game like that, but I think just the lads were in good form afterwards,” Easterby said.
“We wanted to make sure we really acknowledge the support we had in Paris, and it's probably hard for those who don't get to travel to understand how impressive that was in the stadium. And hence why there was a good deal of thanks, that the players were delighted and thankful that there was so much support in the stadium.
“There was a little bit of emotion around the result and performance, but also the understanding that we have two weeks of really hard work now to build up to Scotland.”
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