Top-ranked Ireland leaves injured prop Cian Healy out of squad for Rugby World Cup
DUBLIN (AP) — Veteran prop Cian Healy was left out of Ireland’s 33-man squad for the Rugby World Cup in France on Sunday because of injury.
The 35-year-old Healy sustained a calf problem in the first half of the 17-13 warm-up win over Samoa on Saturday and was helped from the field by medical staff. He was later pictured on crutches.
Munster loosehead Jeremy Loughman has taken Healy’s place.
Dan Sheehan, Ronan Kelleher, Jack Conan, Dave Kilcoyne and Keith Earls have been picked by the top-ranked Irish, despite recent injury issues.
Winger Jacob Stockdale was left out and flyhalf Johnny Sexton, who has now completed a three-match ban, will captain Ireland ahead of retirement.
Ireland begins its campaign on Sept. 9 against Romania in Bordeaux and also faces Tonga, world champion South Africa and Scotland in Pool B.
Aside from the sidelined Healy, Stockdale is the highest-profile player overlooked by head coach Andy Farrell.
The 27-year-old Stockdale, Ireland’s joint-sixth highest try-scorer with 19, has become a peripheral figure since the last World Cup amid a series of fitness setbacks. He started against Samoa due to Earls’ late withdrawal with a niggle but was taken off with a hamstring issue.
Earls and first-choice wingers James Lowe and Mack Hansen have been preferred to Stockdale.
The group includes 16 players who traveled to the 2019 World Cup in Japan under predecessor Joe Schmidt.
Sexton, Conor Murray and Earls are each set for their fourth World Cups.
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Squad:
Forwards: Ryan Baird, Finlay Bealham, Tadhg Beirne, Jack Conan, Caelan Doris, Tadhg Furlong, Iain Henderson, Rob Herring, Ronan Kelleher, Dave Kilcoyne, Jeremy Loughman, Joe McCarthy, Peter O’Mahony, Tom O’Toole, Andrew Porter, James Ryan, Dan Sheehan, Josh van der Flier.
Backs: Bundee Aki, Ross Byrne, Craig Casey, Jack Crowley, Keith Earls, Jamison Gibson-Park, Mack Hansen, Robbie Henshaw, Hugo Keenan, James Lowe, Stuart McCloskey, Conor Murray, Jimmy O’Brien, Garry Ringrose, Johnny Sexton (captain).
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AP rugby: https://apnews.com/hub/rugby