Cian Healy: Ireland head coach Andy Farrell admits 'nothing ever goes smoothly' after prop's injury

Healy's injury gives Farrell a headache before the head coach announces his squad on Sunday afternoon

Ireland head coach Andy Farrell admitted "nothing ever goes smoothly" as his side side's World Cup warm-up win over Samoa in Bayonne was blighted by Cian Healy's injury.

Healy limped off in the first half with a suspected calf problem as Ireland came from behind to win 17-13.

Farrell will unveil his 33-man World Cup squad on Sunday.

"It was always going to be like this," Farrell said after his team secured a 13th straight Test win.

"Nothing ever goes smoothly and we have to be adaptable as staff and make sure do the right thing by the squad in the morning."

Healy looked in pain as he was helped off the field in the 21st minute and later appeared pitchside on crutches and with a protective boot on his right leg.

The 35-year-old was making his 125th appearance for Ireland, but while his chances of adding to that tally at the World Cup have been hit, Farrell was giving little away about the extent of his injury.

"I saw what you saw," added Farrell, who has brought his squad announcement forward to Sunday having originally been scheduled for Monday.

"He pulled up sharp and struggled to get off the field. We'll try and get that assessed as soon as we possibly can."

Farrell, however, did allay fears over prop Dave Kilcoyne and wing Keith Earls, with the latter having pulled out of the Samoa game an hour before kick-off.

He said: "Dave Kilcoyne's fine, he's ready to go. [Earls] No issue whatsoever, he'll be fit and ready to go

On full-back Jimmy O'Brien, who scored Ireland's first try, Farrell added: "Jimmy had a bang on his shoulder. He has had a problem with his shoulder before but this is not the same one, it's a fresh one. It's how people wake up, isn't it?"

'Sometimes you've got to find a way'

Ireland were far from their best on a rainy night in south-west France as Samoa hit back to lead 10-7 at half-time, with Duncan Paia'Aua's converted try followed by a Lima Sopoaga penalty.

Sopoaga's second penalty put Samoa six ahead before Conor Murray and Rob Herring touched down to help Ireland avoid a shock defeat in their last outing before facing Romania in their World Cup opener on 9 September.

"We'll take that and move on," said Farrell.

"It's a great learning for us. The first half we played in the rain, we wanted that. The first time we've probably been behind and found a way back into the game, there was a lot of weird stuff going on and we contributed to that, but again, it's Test match rugby.

"It doesn't all go your own way, sometimes you've got to find a way and you know what we played against a very good side today.

"Samoa, they're a good side across the board, obviously very well coached and have good players but we found a way, three tries to one, and it's pleasing to come away with a victory."