James Ryan to see specialist but Ireland optimistic about hand injury

Irish lock James Ryan will know in the next 24 hours if the injury to his hand/wrist is as serious as first believed.

Reports in several French media outlets, including Midi Olympique, ran a story in which a video grab appears to capture Ryan saying to team-mate Caelan Doris that he may have broken his hand during the Rugby World Cup Pool B victory over Scotland at the Stade de France on Saturday.

Mick Kearney, the Irish team manager said on Monday that the Irish team are now more optimistic about the severity of Ryan’s injury.

“James Ryan is seeing a specialist and we are hoping for better news than originally anticipated,” said Kearney. “Mack Hansen took a bang to his calf but is improving. Both him and James are making good strides. Keith Earls and Robbie Henshaw are both in contention and apart from that just the usual bumps and bruises.

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“We won’t have the definitive on James until after he sees a specialist. James is seeing a specialist today. We should know more either later this evening or tomorrow morning. Certainly in the next 24 hours we should have a clearer picture of where James is at.”

Kearney added that no Irish players as been called up or added to the Irish squad in case Ryan is ruled out by the specialist.

“No call ups,” said the Irish manager. “No one has been added to the squad and at this stage no one is ruled out for the match against New Zealand on Saturday night.

Ireland face the All Blacks in a quarterfinal clash in Stade de France.