Ireland to give key trio every chance to prove fitness ahead of Australia clash
IRELAND head coach Joe Schmidt is set to wait for a nucleus of key players to return to full training tomorrow before settling on his final line-up to face Australia on Saturday.
Joe Schmidt is preparing his side to face Australia
CJ Stander, Rob Kearney and Simon Zebo will be given every chance to prove their fitness for the match.
Flanker Stander, above, and full-back Kearney are working through head injury checks after concussions, while winger Zebo continues to suffer the after-effects of cramping during Saturday’s gruelling and at times brutal 21-9 defeat against New Zealand.
Rob Kearney (left) is hoping to be fit for the game against Australia
Ireland are loath to lose any more front-line stars to face the Wallabies at Dublin’s Aviva Stadium, with Johnny Sexton and Robbie Henshaw already ruled out.
Stander and Kearney must pass all the relevant stages of the rigorous head injury tests before being cleared by Ireland’s medical team to return to full training.
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Ireland coach Schmidt would, in an ideal world, have already started his Test-match selection process.
New Zealand flanker Sam Cane was last night cleared of any wrongdoing in the incident which led to Henshaw being knocked out.