JOEY CARBERY HAS been ruled out of Ireland’s clash with Russia in Kobe this evening [KO 11.15am Irish time, eir Sport/RTÉ].
The Munster man had been due to wear the number 21 shirt for Ireland, covering scrum-half among other positions, but has been forced to drop out due to an aggravation of his ankle injury at yesterday’s captain’s run.
Conor Murray comes onto the Ireland bench in his place.
Carbery made his comeback from that ankle issue off the bench last weekend in Ireland’s defeat to Japan, having been sidelined for seven weeks after sustaining the injury during a World Cup warm-up win over Italy.
Ireland have described Carbery’s latest issue as “an irritation” of his ankle and that his withdrawal was “precautionary” but it remains unclear just how serious the injury is.
Nonetheless, it’s a blow for Ireland to lose the 23-year-0ld for the Russia clash, with Murray now involved for the third matchday in a row at this World Cup.