Ireland's Cian Healy shares positive injury update after World Cup heartbreak

Ireland loosehead Cian Healy is recovering "ahead of schedule" from the calf injury which ruled him out of the World Cup last month.

The 35-year-old veteran picked up the injury in Ireland's final warm-up match against Samoa in August, and was visibly distraught as he limped off the Stade Jean-Dauger pitch in Bayonne knowing his chance to make a fourth World Cup had been taken from him.

The 125-cap international shared a video this week of his rehab, where he is back running on grass and in the gym. Alongside the video he wrote: "It wasn't easy getting here, but happy the body still knows how to recover ahead of schedule. Looking forward to getting back to it and will be forever grateful to those who got me to this point."

There is no indication from this how long it will take the Leinster forward to return to playing, but there has been no suggestion from Ireland that he is available as cover should an injury arise, even though Andy Farrell will have machinations of his side remaining in France for another month.

Ireland have progressed their way through the World Cup unscathed so far compared to injury lists some of their rivals have compiled. Assistant coach Simon Easterby provided a hugely positive injury report on Wednesday, saying: "After a few days' recovery, the lads have come back in good spirits. All 33 were out there today, running around."

Healy's Leinster teammate Jack Conan has been an absentee so far this World Cup with a foot injury, but Easterby provided a promising update on the No.8, while also admitting Ireland have been "fortunate" on the injury front so far.

"Jack is back, training," he said. "It's all good. Like everyone else, he has got a bit of work to get through, but he's in a great place. We are 33 men, fit and ready to go.

"He has done everything he can to get himself in this position. We have been fortunate with injuries in his position that we have not had to call upon him. A number of things have aligned to allow Jack to get right."