Added to the injuries to Peter O’Mahony and Jared Payne, both of whom are already back in Ireland, it means they go into their quarter-final at Cardiff with two replacements in their squad, a third probably dependent on the Sexton prognosis, and close to disarray.
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“It’s very, very sad as a player group to lose Paul after everything he’s given to this country and the way he’s played for so many years”.
“I’m sure the lads will know to fulfill what’s expected of them and if Paul or someone goes off the field they need to step up and I think that’s what we saw at the weekend”, said Ruddock, the Irish-born son of former Wales coach Mike.
Ireland captain O’Connell spent Sunday night in hospital with a “significant hamstring injury”, and flanker O’Brien was cited for appearing to punch France lock Pascal Pape.
With flanker Peter O’Mahony ruled out for the tournament on Monday and stand-off Johnny Sexton also struggling to be fit with a groin problem for Sunday’s quarterfinal against Argentina the Six Nations champions are in disarray.
Ireland’s team at the Rugby World Cup hailed captain Paul O’Connell as “a leader, a warrior, a gentleman” as his global career came to an end.
“There is no doubt we are going to be massive underdogs, but we can take confidence from that fact we’ve got out of a pretty tough group to reach the quarter-finals”. Speculation as to the fairness of the citing procedure prompted World Rugby to release a statement defending the integrity of the disciplinary panel even before the rulings on the Scottish players were made. Paul will not play again at Rugby World Cup 2015 and his time out of the game will depend on the outcome of the surgery.
“Sunday will be about how we front up on the pitch – if you look at past games whenever Ireland have faltered it’s usually Paulie that generates something, smashes someone or gets the ball and does something different. If we can use that as inspiration, then we will”.
“He was being held at the time, he swung but I don’t think he was looking directly at the player but it’s not for me to determine”.
“But there’s a lot more mileage for him to do in the meantime. It’s important to keep things in perspective and if it happens just be ready for it. That’s all I can do at the moment”.
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Independent judicial officer Terry Willis will hear O’Brien’s case, with Ireland boss Joe Schmidt revealing hopes on Sunday that the combative Leinster flanker could avoid sanction. “Now I’m just delighted to be here”.
