World cup injury blow for henshaw

An injury sustained in training this week has ruled Athlone's Robbie Henshaw out of the Irish team to play Canada in its Rugby World Cup opener on Saturday.

The 22-year-old Coosan native has become a key member of the Irish team this year but the injury blow means that Luke Fitzgerald will take his place at inside-centre.

Coach Joe Schmidt indicated that Henshaw had aggravated his hamstring in training and that it would have been a risk to play him on Saturday. 

However, he was 'quietly confident' that the Connacht star might return to the side against Romania on September 27.

Saturday's game at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff kicks off at 2.30pm.

The Irish team announced this afternoon is as follows: Rob Kearney; Dave Kearney, Jared Payne, Luke Fitzgerald, Keith Earls; Jonathan Sexton, Conor Murray; Jack McGrath, Rory Best, Mike Ross; Iain Henderson, Paul O’Connell (capt); Peter O’Mahony, Sean O’Brien, Jamie Heaslip.

Replacements: Sean Cronin, Cian Healy, Nathan White, Donnacha Ryan, Chris Henry, Eoin Reddan, Ian Madigan, Simon Zebo.