ANDY FARRELL SAID it’s unclear whether Cian Healy will be available for the World Cup after suffering a worrying-looking injury in Ireland’s 17-13 warm-up win over Samoa in Bayonne.
The Ireland loosehead prop was helped off the pitch by two Irish medics in obvious pain in the first half after suffering a calf injury during a scrum.
Healy was soon seen on crutches with a moon boot on his right leg and Farrell was downbeat when asked about the 35-year-old, who has been hoping to go to his fourth World Cup with Ireland.
Farrell will name his final 33-man World Cup squad in Dublin tomorrow but it’s uncertain whether Healy will be able to take his place in it.
“Well, you saw what I saw,” said Farrell.
“He pulled up sharpish, didn’t he? And then he struggled to walk off. It’s his calf, there’s something going on there. Rather than guess, we have to take a picture and see how it goes.”
Asked directly if he’s still hopeful Healy will feature at the World Cup, Farrell said it was too soon to be sure.
“I don’t know, I wouldn’t know,” said the Ireland boss.
“We’ll get him back to Dublin and get him scanned and we’ll know soon enough.”
Farrell seemed less concerned about the injuries picked up by fullback Jimmy O’Brien, wing Jacob Stockdale, centre Robbie Henshaw, and wing Keith Earls, who was ruled out before kick-off.
“Jacob was feeling his hamstring, he felt like he couldn’t go so we took him off,” said Farrell. “It was good for Garry [Ringrose] anyway to get a taste on the wing.
“Keith is fine. If it was a World Cup game or a game of importance to us, he would have played. We decided to pull him out and not take any risks with that.
“Jimmy has a sprain in his clavicle, not too bad
“Robbie got a bang on the side of the shin and rolled his ankle, strapped it up, carried on. It will be sore in the morning but to be able to carry on probably tells you a little bit about that.”
While Ireland weren’t at their best in the rain in Bayonne, Farrell said he was pleased with the result and how his players had battled their way to victory. He offered heavy praise of Samoa for their effort.
“Delighted to get the win,” said Farrell. “It was a proper Test match, wasn’t it? I said during the week it would be good if it rained and we find out about ourselves.
“It was difficult conditions and things weren’t always going to go your way, especially against a good side like that.
“They’re a good side, Samoa. They’re gonna shock a few teams. It isn’t just the traditional stuff that they’re good at. You saw the big carries at the end, they’re powerful. But they’re fit, they have a great set-piece. A lot of good things are happening for them, their coaching staff have done a fantastic job.
“So in the end, I was pleased with our mentality, as in – no panic, finding a way, fixed our set piece at half time. Subs came on, added hugely to our physicality and we scored three tries to one.
“Test matches are tough to win in conditions like that and we managed to find a way so I’m pleased really.”
Farrell isn’t of the belief that tomorrow’s squad naming had an effect on his players for this Samoa game.
“Not at all,” said Farrell. “We’re not like that.
“We realise that it’s a Test match and there was certainly no holding back. Most of the credit for it being so close has to go to Samoa.”