O’Donnell ruled out of World Cup

It means the World Cup dream is about to end for some as the countdown continues towards Gatland’s final 31-man World Cup squad announcement later this month.

Robert Louis Stevenson may have reconsidered his famous “to travel hopefully is a better thing than to arrive” line if he ever had to endure the endless build-up to a Rugby World Cup.

The IRFU have confirmed he won’t recover in time as he’s dislocated his hip. “They have a template that works for them: they get into your 22, they play one-pass rugby, they’re good at keeping possession”.

Ulster hooker Rob Herring and Leinster centre Noel Reid have been released back to their provinces and they are likely to be joined by another four or five players after the Ireland team to play Scotland is announced at lunch-time on Thursday.

There was a late worry for the Irish when flanker Tommy O’Donnell fell awkwardly after being tackled, injured his hip, and was taken off on a stretcher.

“It’s about the person now more than the player so it’s about looking after him and making sure he’s getting proper care and all that”.

“When you play for Wales, you have to be the fittest and strongest you can be, so I think there is a bit more of that to come and a lot more rugby, which is part of the programme”. You put so much work into it so it was massively disappointing. We will have to wait and see next week.

“That’s his first game of the season, and your heart goes out to him, because you know he would only have got better with more games under his belt”.

“We don’t know what the full story is there but my heart goes out to him”, said the former Leinster flyer. It was always the plan to give everyone a good run-out – you want to give players an opportunity.

O’Donnell suffered the injury in Ireland’s victory over Wales on Saturday and will miss the World Cup as a result, but his Munster team-mate is not anxious for O’Donnell in the wake of the injury.

The 28-year Munster forward, who has won nine caps, was carried off during the second-half after producing an outstanding display.

Utility back Andrew Trimble will also have a precautionary scan on the foot injury he sustained during the Wales game. The end may have come to Mike Phillips’ long and notable career as an worldwide scrum-half, once an extra back-rower now a phase-play shoveller of passes.

“I am feeling a lot more comfortable in the squad”.