IRELAND HAVE CONFIRMED that Cian Healy’s Six Nations is over due to the hip injury he suffered in Sunday’s defeat to England at Twickenham.

The loosehead prop limped off in the first half in London and will now miss the closing two games of the championship against Italy and France.

Leinster will also have concerns over Healy’s hip injury as they look towards their Champions Cup quarter-final clash with Saracens on 4 April in Dublin.

Healy was injured in the first half against England. Source: Billy Stickand/INPHO

Healy’s injury opens the door for Munster man Dave Kilcoyne to take on Ireland’s starting loosehead role for the remainder of this Six Nations, with Ulster’s Jack McGrath offering another option.

Kilcoyne and McGrath are part of the 28-man Ireland squad that head coach Andy Farrell has named for a two-day training camp in Dublin this week as they begin preparation for the clash against Italy at the Aviva Stadium on 7 March.

Farrell has released Will Connors, Max Deegan, David Kearney, and Luke McGrath back to Leinster for the Pro14 weekend, while Chris Farrell and Jack O’Donoghue have returned to Munster.

With Ulster’s game away to Benetton in Italy postponed, Farrell has retained Billy Burns, Stuart McCloskey, Jack McGrath and Tom O’Toole in his training squad, while Iain Henderson returns to the group after missing the England game due to the birth of his son.

Frustratingly for Farrell and the player himself, Ulster’s Will Addison is still rehabbing a calf injury and will remain with his province this week. Addison has not featured in the Six Nations yet due to his injury issues.

Every player involved against England, apart from Healy, remains in the 28-man Ireland squad, which gathers tomorrow for a two-day camp that culminates in an open training session in Donnybrook on Friday. Connacht’s Dave Heffernan has also been retained.

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Ireland 28-man training squad:

Backs:

Bundee Aki

Billy Burns

Ross Byrne

Andrew Conway

John Cooney

Keith Earls

Robbie Henshaw

Jordan Larmour

Stuart McCloskey

Conor Murray

Johnny Sexton

Jacob Stockdale

Forwards:

Ultan Dillane

Caelan Doris

Tadhg Furlong

Dave Heffernan

Iain Henderson

Rob Herring

Ronan Kelleher

Dave Kilcoyne

Jack McGrath

Peter O’Mahony

Tom O’Toole

Andrew Porter

James Ryan

CJ Stander

Devin Toner

Josh van der Flier