IRELAND HAVE OFFICIALLY confirmed that Jordi Murphy will join their 31-man World Cup squad in place of the injured Jack Conan.
With Leinster number eight Conan flying home after fracturing his foot, Ulster back row Murphy will arrive into Japan today to link up with Joe Schmidt’s squad in Kobe.
Conan played just one game in this World Cup, impressing in a 62-minute spell off the bench against Scotland, and has now been forced to depart early.
Murphy was pulled from Ulster’s Pro14 fixture on Friday night and is now en route to Japan.
The 28-year-old was among the most unlucky players to miss out on making Ireland’s original 31-man squad, and he will arrive in Japan with plenty of international experience in tow, having been capped 29 times and featured at the last World Cup.
Murphy has played across the back row positions for Ireland and seems likely to be pitched straight into action on Thursday as Schmidt’s men look to record a convincing win against Russia in Kobe, having been shocked by Japan last night.
The loss of Conan is likely to be keenly felt, however, leaving Ireland with one specialist number eight in the shape of CJ Stander.
Murphy joins Peter O’Mahony, Josh van der Flier, Rhys Ruddock, Stander, and Tadhg Beirne as Schmidt’s options in the back row in Japan.
The loss of Conan adds to the pre-World Cup injury blows to Dan Leavy and Sean O’Brien.