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Irish Mirror
Irish Mirror
Sport
Michael Scully

Paul O'Connell backs Ireland to adjust again for Twickenham test after losing Andrew Porter

Paul O'Connell insists Ireland will keep on trucking with their two loosehead vets after losing Andrew Porter to injury.

The news that Porter is out of the Six Nations with the ankle injury he suffered against Italy leaves Ireland without two-thirds of their first choice front row, as Rónan Kelleher had previously been ruled out with a shoulder injury.

"There'll be no adjustments to the game plan, really," said forwards coach O'Connell, who confirmed that Robbie Henshaw was available to face England after coming through return to play protocols.

"Andrew's a big loss, he's a modern prop forward.

"He's an excellent scrummager on both sides of the scrum but his ball-carrying, his defending for us, really good poacher, a great man for turnovers, getting penalties for us at the ruck.

“He's no-nonsense to coach. He just gets on with it, he's very easy to coach, easy to deal with so he'll be a big loss.

"His bench (press) will probably go through the roof in this period, which he'll be delighted with!

"We saw it in the Argentina game in the autumn when lads starting dropping out in the warm-up - and we lost James Ryan before half-time -but the way we've been training, a lot of the changes have been seamless enough and been easy enough and hopefully it continues that way."

Ireland will turn to 34-year-old Cian Healy or 33-year-old Dave Kilcoyne to wear the no 1 shirt at Twickenham on Saturday, with O'Connell confirming that, with Tom O'Toole also injured, Andy Farrell is likely to add another prop to the squad after the URC fixtures this weekend.

“Cian has been back playing, he has been great," O'Connell stated.

"Dave Kilcoyne has not had as much rugby played but he has played as well when we have trained, like against the U20s and in those Wednesday training sessions, we have been very fast and physical.

“It has been at match intensity, if not a little bit higher, and players have got great benefit from that.

"As well as that, it is 15 against 15, so the guys have a lot more rugby under their belts than maybe their match minutes for Ireland would have you believe.

“There is no doubt a guy like Andrew Porter – he is first choice at the moment – is a loss, but it is a great opportunity for the guys, for Cian, for Dave.

"Like, Dave Kilcoyne started the game against England 12 months ago, he went off quite early.

“Cian came on and had a really good game, so there is great experience there. It is a great opportunity for these guys as well. They are real enthusiastic guys and they want the opportunity to play.

"So we are very happy with what we have behind Andrew Porter.”

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