Ireland have revealed that Jack Conan’s latest foot injury is “nothing like” the one which left his previous Rugby World Cup campaign in ruins and are confident he will be fit to be in action in France.
Andy Farrell’s squad are currently on a week-long training camp in Portugal but Conan stayed behind in Dublin to undergo rehabilitation to the injury which forced him off the field in Ireland’s 33-17 win over Italy at the Aviva Stadium on Saturday.
Had a protective boot on his right foot
The back-row was photographed in a protective boot on his right foot, after the win against the Azzurri, and that raised concerns over his 2023 Rugby World Cup participation after he left the 2019 tournament in Japan prematurely due to a stress fracture.
Although the full extent of the injury will only be discovered some time next week but Ireland defence coach Simon Easterby said there were “positive” early signs about the knock.
When asked if Leinster star Conan is in danger of missing out on the World Cup, Easterby, replied: “No, genuinely not.
“Jack has in the past had troubles with his foot.
“But it’s nothing like it was back in 2019. He was pretty bullish around the injury.
“From everything that we’re hearing – we haven’t had full feedback yet – it’s a positive injury as a opposed to a really negative one.
“He’s stayed behind just to rehab and we hope to get more information on his injury next week.
“We’re still waiting on assessment and we decided that it would probably be best for him to stay back in Dublin.”
The 31-year-old, who started all three Tests against the Springboks in South Africa in 2021, said last week he still has unfinished business at the World Cup due to the disappointing way his tournament ended in Japan in 2019.
Conan came off the bench in Ireland’s victory over Scotland in their tournament opener in Yokohama but then sustained his injury during a training session ahead of the shock loss to hosts Japan – a match he had been due to start.
Farrell will his trim his current 42-man squad down to a final 33 on August 28 after warm-up matches against England (August 19) and Samoa (August 26).
Ireland’s World Cup campaign kicks off on September 9 against Romania in Bordeaux.
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