IRELAND EXPECT TO have Joe McCarthy and Mack Hansen available for their Six Nations trip to Wales on Saturday week, but Tadhg Furlong remains a doubt as he works his way back from a calf injury.

Ireland captain Caelan Doris also sat out training today and is having his work load managed ahead of the game in Cardiff.

McCarthy has yet to feature in the Six Nations due to a facial injury sustained on the eve of the opening fixture against England, while Hansen was a late withdrawal from the team to play Scotland with a hamstring problem.

“Mack and Joe are training fully, they’re good,” said Ireland’s Head of Athletic Performance, Aled Walters.

“It’s simply a management piece for Tadhg and Caelan. These weeks are great, you get to manage some guys. Some need a push, some need to be pulled back a little bit. That’s just the management piece.

“It’s just general (for Doris), they’ve been two pretty attritional Test matches, haven’t they? The way Caelan plays, you’re going to pick up little bangs and bruises. It’s just that.”

Aled Walters. Andrew Conan / INPHO Andrew Conan / INPHO / INPHO

Walters added that Furlong remains close to returning to action, but the Wales game might come too soon for the tighthead.

“I think we’ll need to make a call during the week, he’s got a bit of work to do. But we’d be anticipating that, if he’s not there, he’s close anyway.”

With this weekend being a break week for the Six Nations, the Ireland squad were afforded some extra days off during the week before training against the Ireland U20s in Abbotstown today.

Ireland are preparing to face a Wales side in the midst of major transition, with Warren Gatland leaving his position as head coach earlier this week.

Cardiff boss Matt Sherratt will take the reins for Wales’ remaining three Six Nations games but has stated he does not want the job full-time. Ireland’s interim head coach, Simon Easterby, has been one of the names linked with the position.

“He’s that good a coach that there’s always going to be speculation,” Walters said of Easterby.

“There’s been a change now in Wales, the fact that he lives there he’s always going to be linked. That’s the quality of the man. Credit to him, credit to the group; it hasn’t been mentioned, we’re preparing for Wales as we would normally.”

Walters added that he’s been impressed with how Easterby has stepped into Andy Farrell’s shoes for the Six Nations.

“I’ve known Simon a long time now, when I worked with the Scarlets Simon was captain and he’s still exactly the same way.

“He’s so diligent, a great human. He’s very considerate. He’s taken the role very seriously, it’s a measure of the man. I think everyone has done a little extra now to make sure that things remain on course, remain as they have been and it’s been great to see. It’s been great to work with him.

“The players seem pretty happy, he even organised a sauna for the boys as well so I don’t know if he’s going for cheap credit here anyway. They love it.

“How long has he been with Ireland now? He’s part of the furniture. Even in the Autumn, he’s a leader in the Autumn. He wasn’t sat back in the shadows and then suddenly thrust into the limelight, he’s been there the whole time. It hasn’t felt that different.”