Injured Jack Conan sits out Ireland RWC camp in Portugal

Jack Conan has sat out Ireland's Rugby World Cup training camp in Portugal this week, after suffering a foot injury in Saturday's warm-up game against Italy.

The Leinster number eight "lost power" in his foot according to head coach Andy Farrell after the game, and while it doesn't appear to be significant enough to put his World Cup in jeopardy, he's stayed behind in Dublin to rehab the issue this week.

"The only person who hasn't travelled with us from the squad is Jack Conan," defence coach Simon Easterby said on Tuesday from their camp at Quinta do Lago.

"We'll find out next week. We’re still waiting on an assessment and we decided it was probably best for him to stay back in Dublin and rehab and then we’ll get a better indication on how he is when we arrive back into camp next week."

In better news, Jimmy O'Brien and Craig Casey have both come through their injury issues from Saturday unscathed. O'Brien picked up a shoulder knock in the opening half, while Casey was dealing with a tight back. Both have trained with the squad this afternoon.

Ireland's next official warm-up game will be against England on Saturday, 19 August at the Aviva Stadium, but they will hold a training session alongside the Portuguese national side on Wednesday at The Campus.

Portugal are in Pool C of the World Cup, having qualified for the first time since 2007, and Easterby (above) says while it won't be a full game of rugby, it will be a valuable opportunity to test their attack and defence out.

"I guess it wouldn't be the first time it’s happened and it won’t be the last time it happens. Often teams collaborate with other teams and get the opportunity to do some set-piece against each other and run backline against backline.

"It certainly isn’t a