Andy Farrell offers Cian Healy injury update ahead of World Cup squad announcement

Rory Fleming

Healy was carried off the field by the Irish medical team following a nasty looking injury against Samoa.

Andy Farrell’s Ireland overcame Samoa in an unconvincing 17-13 victory in Bayonne on Saturday evening, as they maintained their place atop of the World Rugby rankings.

However, in what was a bruising encounter with the islanders, there were a number of injury scares for Ireland.

Centurion Keith Earls pulled out before kick-off as a precaution, with Jimmy O’Brien also leaving the field of play due to a knock of his own. Ireland centre Robbie Henshaw was another injury worry, after he went down on a number of occasions following a reported ankle sprain.

However, it will be the injury surrounding 125 Test veteran Cian Healy which will bring the biggest of headaches for the Irish coaching staff, after the Leinster prop was carried off the field by the Irish medical team just 20 minutes into the game.

Reviewing the footage, it appeared that Healy suffered a nasty looking calf injury as the Irish pack were driven back in the scrum by their Samoan counterparts.

Former teammate Jamie Heaslip remarked in the RTE studio at half-time, “Seeing a man like Cian Healy coming off the field and being carried off is never a good sign. It takes a lot for an individual like Cian not to be able to come off himself.”

Healy’s injury will come as a serious blow to the Irish coaching ticket with just two weeks until their World Cup campaign gets underway. (Credit: Sportsfile)

Andy Farrell offers vague Healy update:

Speaking to the media after the game, Andy Farrell offered up a vague update, which will fail to assuage the fears of Irish rugby fans that Cian Healy’s tournament could be over before it even starts.

“Well, you saw what I saw. He pulled up sharpish, didn’t he, and then struggled to walk off,” Farrell said.

“It’s his calf so there is something going on there, but rather than guess, we will have to take a picture and see how it goes.”

When questioned as to his hopes surrounding Healy’s potential World Cup involvement, the 48-year-old former England international remarked, “I don’t know, I wouldn’t know. We’ll get him back to Dublin and get him scanned and we will know soon enough.”

Despite Healy’s injury though, there is still a possibility that the 35-year-old is included in Andy Farrell’s 33-man squad on Sunday afternoon.

World Rugby have a provision in place which allows replacement front-rows be called up throughout the tournament, in order to ensure the welfare and safety of players at set-piece time.

Dave Kilcoyne has recovered from an injury of his own, according to Farrell, and will be included in today’s squad. Should Healy not make the cut, it is expected that Munster’s Jeremy Loughman will replace him in the panel.

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