O’Connell Trains With Ireland

Munster’s Paul O’Connell trained with the Irish squad today for the first time since his call up by Joe Schmidt for the Guinness series against Samoa, Australia and New Zealand.

O’Connell missed training last week due to the calf injury that forced him to pull out of the Munster team that beat Glasgow Warriors at Scotstoun 11 days ago.

If O’Connell is selected on Saturday it will be the lock’s first game with Ireland since the 2012 Six Nations.

Bad news for Keith Earls yesterday however as he was ruled out of the Samoa match with a knee injury but remains in contention for the games against Australia and New Zealand.

Donncha O’Callaghan and James Coughlan have returned to the squad after featuring in Munster’s win against Ospreys on Saturday night.