Andy Farrell hopes Tadhg Furlong will make swift return after hamstring strain

Head coach Andy Farrell is hopeful prop Tadhg Furlong will make a swift recovery from the hamstring strain which has ruled him out of Ireland’s Autumn Nations Series opener against New Zealand.

Leinster tighthead Furlong arrived in camp nursing the muscular problem and has fallen short in his fitness battle ahead of Friday’s Dublin showdown with the All Blacks.

Finlay Bealham will deputise for the 31-year-old, while Farrell dismissed concerns about the potential rustiness of his hookers after including Ronan Kelleher and Rob Herring in his 23 in the absence of the sidelined Dan Sheehan.

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Kelleher has been selected to start just a month since suffering an ankle injury, with Herring providing backup from the bench, having not played this season.

“He had a bit of a hamstring strain coming into camp, we thought it would be something that would progress,” Farrell, whose side also host Argentina, Fiji and Australia this month, said of Furlong.

“He was rehabbing, like a few other lads, but unfortunately it’s just not picked up in time so, rather than push too hard and then him be out for the series, we’ll take our time and hopefully he’s back sooner rather than later.

“He’s had a good week in terms of next steps but obviously there’s a process that he has to go through.”

Asked about Kelleher and Herring, Farrell replied: “Ronan and Rob have done everything since we came into camp so we’re really pleased with them.”

Farrell has made five changes to the team which began the series-levelling 25-24 win over world champions South Africa in July.

Scrum-half Jamison Gibson-Park, wing Mack Hansen and full-back Hugo Keenan return