Injured Rhys Ruddock ruled out of Ireland's World Cup squad
Wednesday 24 June 2015 18:34, UK
Leinster flanker Rhys Ruddock has been ruled out of Ireland's World Cup squad after suffering a second broken arm in just six months.
Head coach Joe Schmidt confirmed that Ruddock would have made the initial World Cup training squad but for the broken arm he suffered while captaining Emerging Ireland against Uruguay.
The 24-year-old missed the Six Nations after an earlier arm break sustained in European Champions Cup action against Harlequins in December.
Schmidt, who also confirmed Paul O'Connell will be the captain of his 45-man training squad, said: "Rhys Ruddock would have been selected but has been ruled out after fracturing his arm against Uruguay last week.
"The squad selection has been a long process with some very tight decisions.
"Some injured players who are getting close to full fitness have been included while others have missed out due to prolonged absence or lack of opportunity to demonstrate their full Test match readiness."
Leinster's forward duo Jack Conan and Tadhg Furlong are the only uncapped men in Ireland's ranks, as the double Six Nations champions prepare to kick-start their World Cup preparations.
Schmidt's squad will convene at their Carton House base on Sunday night, with four warm-up matches scheduled for August and the first week of September.
The deadline for selecting 31-man World Cup squads is August 31, and Ireland boss Schmidt has already admitted he is finding the final composition of that squad a huge challenge.
Chris Henry has completed his remarkable comeback after suffering a mini-stroke in November to win inclusion in the squad, the Ulster flanker proving himself ready with an impressive showing against the Barbarians last month.
Veteran centre Gordon D'Arcy is among the ranks despite having already played his final game for Leinster, with his full retirement following the World Cup.
Conor Murray and Sean O'Brien had faced minor injuries in the build-up to this initial squad announcement, but both British and Irish Lions are expected to be fully fit well in advance of the August warm-up schedule.
Ireland Rugby World Cup training squad:
FORWARDS: R Best (Ulster), M Bent, J Conan, S Cronin, T Furlong, C Healy, J Heaslip (all Leinster), I Henderson, C Henry, R Herring (all Ulster), D Kilcoyne (Munster), J McGrath, M Moore, J Murphy, S O'Brien (all Leinster), P O'Connell (capt), T O'Donnell, P O'Mahony (all Munster), M Ross (Leinster), D Ryan (Munster), R Strauss, D Toner (both Leinster), D Tuohy (Ulster).
BACKS: I Boss (Leinster), T Bowe, D Cave (both Ulster), G D'Arcy (Leinster), K Earls (Munster), L Fitzgerald (Leinster), C Gilroy (Ulster), R Henshaw (Connacht), P Jackson (Ulster), F Jones (Munster), D Kearney, R Kearney, I Madigan (all Leinster), K Marmion (Connacht), F McFadden (Leinster), C Murray (Munster), J Payne (Ulster), E Reddan, N Reid (Leinster), J Sexton (Racing Metro), A Trimble (Ulster), S Zebo (Munster).
