Ireland’s Paul O’Connell will need another week of recuperation before the true extent of the damage to his shoulder can be assessed after the lock underwent a scan on the injury last night.
O’Connell strained the Acromio-Clavicular - a joint between the shoulder and the collar bone - in the defeat to France on Saturday.
It will require rehabilitation over the coming week before it will be known whether the Munster secondrow can face Wales at Lansdowne Road on Sunday February 26th.
O’Connell is the main injury worry ahead of preparation for the game, despite Brian O’Driscoll being substituted in Paris and the vice captain remaining on the pitch.
Speaking of the concern yesterday Eddie O’Sullivan said: "He took a heavy knock on the shoulder and played on with it...I have to say we are concerned about it."
O’Driscoll’s removal was merely a precaution after the captain tweaked a hamstring early in the second half.
Prop Marcus Horan has returned to the training squad after recovering from his stomach bug. Also back in for training are Mick O'Driscoll, Anthony Foley, Neil Best, Denis Hickie, Girvan Dempsey, Barry Murphy and Ulster lock Matt McCullough.
John Kelly is ruled out through injury.
:quality(70)/s3.amazonaws.com/arc-authors/irishtimes/2453f9b1-af30-425a-bdfa-17106363208c.png)
:quality(70)/cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/IMNWKIX5DFFCFE5CD5NLBU6EVY.png)