Rugby World Cup 2023: Ireland to assess injured trio before New Zealand quarter-final

Mack Hansen was forced off with a calf problem

Ireland head coach Andy Farrell says he does not yet know the full extent of the injuries sustained by James Lowe, Mack Hansen and James Ryan in Saturday's World Cup win over Scotland.

The Irish won 36-14 to set up a mouth-watering quarter-final with New Zealand next week.

But the world's number one side will be sweating on the fitness of Lowe (eye), Hansen (calf) and Ryan (wrist).

Farrell said his squad's "bangs and bruises" will be assessed on Sunday.

"Obviously, we'll see how they pull up in the morning but Mack went off with a HIA [head injury assessment] and when he came back on he felt his calf straight away, so we got him off," said Farrell.

"James Ryan has a bit of a knock on his wrist that we need to assess more, so we'll see how he is.

"James Lowe got a bang in the eye, his eye shut and he couldn't really see much. His vision was coming back towards the end of the game, which is good.

"And then a few more bangs and bruises that we'll need to assess tomorrow."

With wing Keith Earls also bothered by a hamstring injury, Jimmy O'Brien could come into contention for inclusion in Ireland's quarter-final squad

Speaking on Sunday morning, Ireland assistant coach Simon Easterby said Lowe, Hansen and Ryan will be monitored over the next 48 hours and also revealed that Keith Earls has a hamstring injury.

Easterby also said it is too soon to tell if wing Earls and centre Robbie Henshaw, who is also battling a hamstring problem, will be fit to face the All Blacks.

Henshaw had already been ruled out of the Scotland match but Earls was a notable absentee from Saturday's pre-match warm-up which all Ireland squad members normally take part in.

Lowe, who scored Ireland's first try after just two minutes, was taken off at half-time having received treatment on his eye on the pitch.

With Hansen already having been withdrawn, Garry Ringrose and Jamison Gibson-Park slotted in as makeshift wings as Ireland ran out comfortable winners and ended Scotland's tournament.

Ireland's concerns over wings Hansen, Lowe and Earls could potentially mean Jimmy O'Brien - the only squad member yet to feature in the tournament - coming into contention for involvement in the quarter-final.

"It's probably a little too early to say either way but, if they get ruled out, Jimmy's been waiting in the wings and did an incredible job last November to come in with a couple of late call-ups," said Easterby.

Ryan's fitness may also be a concern. The second row had already picked up a wrist injury in the win over South Africa a fortnight ago with Iain Henderson given the nod to start against Scotland.

• New Zealand quarter-final 'what dreams are made of' - Farrell

'We learned so much from New Zealand tour'

Having topped Pool B, Ireland's attentions will quickly turn to facing New Zealand at the Stade de France on Saturday.

The All Blacks knocked Ireland out in the quarter-finals in Japan in 2019 but Irish captain Johnny Sexton says the squad learned a great deal from last year's Test series triumph over the three-time World Cup champions in New Zealand.

"We went to New Zealand and Andy told us he'd put us under the most pressure he could find," said Sexton.

"To go on a three-Test tour but also to do the midweek games, it was to test us and to make us learn.

"We learnt so many lessons on that tour to take with us for the Six Nations, to win a Grand Slam, and it's to put us in this situation to have to play them again."

Farrell said Ireland will approach next week's knockout match with a "spring in our step" after extending their winning sequence to 17 matches.

"We will enjoy the win tonight, it has been a big week for us and we gave a fantastic side Scotland the respect they deserve," said Farrell.

"We will recover from this and I expect do so with a spring in our step.

"If you cannot get excited about this now then I do not know what would get you out of bed.

"These boys have been waiting for these big games, these opportunities to show what they have learned for a while now."