Ireland have sent seven players back to their clubs to recover from various knocks following their historic win over New Zealand in Dublin on Saturday. None will be involved in the final test of the year against the USA at the Aviva Stadium this coming weekend.
Missing out will be reserve hooker Sean Cronin, loosehead prop Jack McGrath, second row James Ryan, flanker Dan Leavy, scrumhalf Kieran Marmion, and fullbacks Rob Kearney and Jordan Larmour. They join previously injured Lions duo Sean O’Brien (broken arm) and Robbie Henshaw (center) on the sidelines.
Meanwhile flanker Peter O’Mahony, who earned man-of-the-match honors on the weekend, is also an injury concern with a thigh contusion. Star scrumhalf Conor Murray has returned to training from a long-term neck injury but will play for Munster this weekend rather than Ireland.