The Latest On Injured Ireland Trio Following Gruelling Test With All Blacks

Ireland have revealed that they will give CJ Stander, Rob Kearney and Simon Zebo every chance to prove their fitness for Saturday’s Test clash with Australia.

Stander and Kearney are working through head injury checks after concussions sustained against the All Blacks in their bruising 21-9 defeat. Zebo continues to suffer the after-effects of cramping during Saturday’s gruelling 21-9 defeat to New Zealand.

Ireland are already without injured pair Johnny Sexton and Robbie Henshaw who are nursing a hamstring and head injury respectively.

“They are on track, they are following the return to play protocols and are covering off those (markers) as we would expect,” said Ireland assistant Simon Easterby.

“We will know later in the week as they go through those protocols. Simon (Zebo) has managed training today and got through some work.

“He, like some other players in the group, are being managed, to get them right for Thursday, when we can select the team based on who is available.”

Should Schmidt give the trio the weekend off regardless in the interest of player welfare, when he’s got the likes of Peter O’Mahony, Keith Earls and Tieran O’Halloran on standby?