Nov 20,2024
Tadhg Furlong is set to be available for Ireland's third Autumn Nations Series game against Fiji on Saturday, but Ryan Baird has been ruled out due to concussion.
Baird picked up a head injury shortly after coming on as a second half replacement in the 22-19 win against Argentina, and having also suffered concussion earlier this season in action for Leinster, the versatile forward has automatically been ruled out of this Saturday's game, and will follow the return to play protocols.
Furlong missed the opening two rounds of this international window due to a hamstring issue, but trained fully with the squad this afternoon in Dublin, and scrum coach John Fogarty believes he is on track to be available.
"Full of energy," was Fogarty's assessment of Furlong.
"He got through the session today and he will be assessed as we go along.
"I'd say bullish, he’s eager to get back and excited to be in and around the team again. It’s lonely when you’re outside of that. He’s excited to be in and around the team, and we are excited as well.
"They won't mess about with the players. He’s back on time. He’s ready to go. If he was back last week and ready to go, he would have been up for selection and then the coaches will decide.
"He is back in training and he has got through that session today."
Ireland's stocks at tighthead prop have been further boosted with the return of Tom O'Toole, who missed the game as he was following the return to play protocols.
His absence against Argentina meant Leinster's Thomas Clarkson (above) was drafted in for his debut off the bench, and the 24-year-old impressed in his first Ireland appearance.
With Furlong and O'Toole back, it remains to be seen if Clarkson is retained in the matchday squad for Saturday's visit of the Fijians, but Fogarty was very impressed with how the rookie handled Test rugby.
"I was delighted. We went on an Emerging Ireland tour a couple of years ago, he is a great character. He does a few things really well at scrum time.
"He came in as a guy who we were looking at for the future and circumstances allowed him to go onto the field last [week].
"It was amazing, Cian [Healy] getting 133 [caps] and Tom getting one. It was an incredibly exciting week to be a scrum coach and watch both those things happen.
"Tom did a good job. He will certainly take his learnings. It's always exciting when you get another Irish tighthead onto the field.
"Hopefully he will take everything he has learned and push on. I’ve said it before, that’s what we need. We want every front-rower to step up. And Tom has stepped up in this camp and I’m delighted he got capped," he added.
Saturday's game will be the third of four for Ireland during this November window, with a resurgent Australia to come to Dublin next week.
With that in mind, it's likely the Irish management will make a handful of changes this week, but Fogarty insists they will still be paying full respect to Fiji.
"I think it's important that we are doing right by everyone in our side, continuing to look for a performance.
"Fiji have improved. We played them two years ago and they’ve certainly improved. You see that through the Wales game, they didn’t quite have the full side out in that Scotland match, but they’re a dangerous team.
"So, it’s important that we are focusing on developing a good performance. Andy [Farrell] and ourselves will select accordingly."
