Joey Carbery has been ruled out of today's Russia game at the Kobe Misaki stadium after injuring the ankle he had surgery on in August.
Carbery “felt some irritation in the ankle after Captain’s Run and it was felt best not to risk him” confirmed the Irish management. The decision to pull him from the bench is being described as “cautious” rather than serious.
Conor Murray comes onto the bench as scrumhalf cover - where Joe Schmidt had hoped to give Carbery some game time - with Jack Carty and Jordan Larmour the other backline reserves.
Carbery admitted after defeat to Japan last Sunday that he was still struggling for “match fitness” since badly twisting his ankle against Italy in Dublin on August 10th.
“I wouldn’t consider myself too match fit yet but I would like to have started,” said the 23 year-old following the 19-12 defeat.
Should the injury prove worse than is being currently stated, Kieran Marmion, Ross Byrne and John Cooney would come into consideration as Carbery is covering both halfback positions.
