IRELAND HEAD COACH Joe Schmidt is able to train with 37 fit and ready players in Carton House today ahead of Saturday’s opening November Test against South Africa.
The 38th man missing from the group is Ulster lock Kieran Treadwell whose flight from South Africa, where Ulster won a thriller against the Southern Kings on Saturday, was delayed.
Treadwell celebrates his 22nd birthday today, but as he is due back in Ireland until tomorrow afternoon and in Schmidt’s camp on Wednesday evening, it’s highly unlikely he will mark the occasion with a third cap this weekend.
The other seven players who were released to their provinces last weekend - Adam Byrne, Dan Leavy, Dave Kearney, Andrew Porter,Chris Farrell, Ian Keatley and Darren Sweetnam - all returned with no ill effects.
As those senior squad members come in, out go young Leinster prospects Harry Byrne, Myles Carey, Tommy O’Brien, Gav Mullin, Peter Sullivan, Tom Roche and Jack Kelly, who trained with the squad last week.
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