The clarion call for youth may be heard yet.
After much grumbling about Joe Schmidt’s conservative team announcement on Thursday, circumstance has intervened.
Cian Healy’s injury curse has struck again, with the Leinster loosehead ruled out of Saturday’s clash with Italy due to a hamstring problem suffered at training on Thursday.
Ireland confirmed the news following Friday’s captain’s run at the Aviva, where Rory Best was taking the team through their final paces ahead of the Azzurri Test.
Cian Healy pulled up with a hamstring strain at training yesterday. Finlay Bealham takes his place on the bench for Ire v Italy #6Nations
— Evanne Ní Chuilinn (@EvanneNiC) March 11, 2016
That training session on Lansdowne Road will have been of particular value to Connacht’s Finlay Bealham, who will take Healy’s place on the bench.
Should he come in to replace Jack McGrath on Saturday the 24-year-old Australian will become the second Connacht forward in two Tests to make his debut, after Ultan Dilane’s bow at Twickenham.
It is another bitter disappointment for Healy, who has managed only 16 matches thus far this season and has fallen behind McGrath in the pecking order as he struggled to recover from a nerve problem.
