Joe Schmidt May Have To Make Some Late Changes To His Ireland Squad

Joe Schmidt named his Ireland team earlier this afternoon for this weekend’s clash with Australia.

Schmidt is without the injured duo of Robbie Henshaw and Johnny Sexton but CJ Stander and Rob Kearney have been both been passed fit and will take their places in the starting line-up

Keith Earls starts on the wing instead of Simon Zebo while Gary Ringrose comes in to replace Robbie Henshaw. Paddy Jackson takes Johnny Sexton’s spot at 10 while Iain Henderson has ousted Munster’s Donnacha Ryan.

It has now emerged however, that three of Ireland’s squad are far from certain to be involved on Saturday. Two [Rob Kearney and CJ Stander] are still following the Graduated Return To Play protocols and Simon Zebo is nursing a serious case of cramp.

All three were not expected to be in the squad this weekend but after delaying his squad announcement, were all included anyway with Kearney and Stander set to start and Zebo on the bench.

All three are reportedly on yellow alert with Donnacha Ryan, Craig Gilroy and Tiernan O’Halloran all said to be on standby.