O'Connell and Healy in line for Springboks return
Declan Kidney and his coaching staff have finally gotten some positive news on the injury front with the Ireland medical team reporting that Paul O’Connell and Cian Healy came through a full training session unscathed.
The news is a timely boost for the Irish squad after captain Brian O’Driscoll was ruled out of the autumn Test series through injury along with seasoned international campaigners Sean O'Brien, Stephen Ferris, Rob Kearney and Rory Best.
Former British and Irish Lions captain O’Connell is the likely candidate to skipper Ireland in O’Driscoll’s absence provided he is named in the starting XV and assistant coach Mark Tainton is confident the second row will be fit and ready for Saturday’s showdown.
"Paul trained fully today and did everything in training - scrum, line-out and contact," said Tainton.
"We'll see what happens over the next 24 hours but we don't envisage any reaction to what he did today. It's looking good from his side.”
Tainton is also optimistic about Healy’s chances of taking part this weekend after the prop showed no ill-affects after today’s training session.
"Cian did a full session today and there were no problems with his shoulder during a live scrummaging session. He showed full power."
Kidney’s decision to delay naming his captain has provoked widespread speculation about who should lead the team if O’Connell doesn’t start, with the likes of Jamie Heaslip and Donnacha Ryan emerging as popular candidates.
However Tainton believes Jonathan Sexton would be well equipped to skipper the side.
"A fly-half's role is to lead the team anyway. Goalkicking and punting are just a part of his job," he said.
"I wouldn't see it being a burden to take on the captaincy as well."
Ulster prop Declan Fitzpatrick is not training with the squad due to concussion.
