Ireland’s Simon Zebo travels home on compassionate leave

Ireland’s Simon Zebo returned home to Cork on Monday morning following the death of his grandfather John Geary, who passed away on Sunday at Cork University Hospital.

Zebo, who had played for Ireland in their victory over Romania at Wembley, will attend the funeral on Tuesday morning and then fly straight back to London and rejoin his Irish team-mates ahead of Sunday's Rugby World Cup match against Italy at Olympic Park.

Joe Schmidt will name the Ireland team for that game on Friday. Robbie Henshaw is almost certain to start, but Rob Kearney is a doubt, while Tommy Bowe hopes his two tries and aerial prowess against Romania will keep Dave Kearney out of the number 14 jersey.

“If I’d scored 10 tries yesterday, I don’t know if I’d have done enough,” said Bowe. “Joe has us all on our toes, Dave Kearney is playing exceptionally well, so what can you do? Just got to keep your head down and keep going. Listen, if I don’t get my opportunity next weekend, hopefully I’ll get it the following week. It’s a tough competition; there are going to be injuries. ”

Henshaw will return to full training tomorrow after a hamstring strain ruled him out of Ireland’s first two games. The 21-year-old is expected to play inside centre at the Olympic Stadium, but Kearney has a glute injury.

Scan

“Rob Kearney may have suffered a gluteal strain and will have a scan in Guildford,” said Ireland manager Mick Kearney. This is either a stretch or tear of a muscle in the buttocks. The healing process requires no running, so Simon Zebo could be retained at fullback.

“We are going to have to wait and see the results of the scan later today, so it will be 24-48 hours before we have a definitive view on that – whether he will be available for the weekend or not,” said Mick Kearney. “Keith Earls passed a HIA [head injury assessment] at the ground, and has some neck stiffness, but is quite well. Jordi Murphy got a dead leg in the game, but is expected to be fine.”

On Earls’s HIA, Kearney added that “it’s a three-step process”, with stage three taking place tomorrow.

The Ireland squad left the salubrious confines of the Wembley Hilton at lunchtime yesterday for the outlying town of Guildford in Surrey, where they will use the Harlequins training ground.