Murphy answers Irish SOS call in Japan

Jordi Murphy has been called up to Ireland’s World Cup squad after Jack Conan was ruled out for the rest of the tournament with a broken foot.

Leinster star Conan suffered his injury in training on Thursday, and withdrew from the starting line-up to face Japan in Shizuoka on Saturday.

“Jordi (Murphy) will arrive in Japan on Sunday, and will join the Ireland squad in Kobe as they prepare for Thursday’s Pool A game against Russia,” read the Irish Rugby Football Union (IRFU) statement.

The top-ranked nation going into the tournament suffered one of the great World Cup upsets when beaten 19-12 by the Brave Blossoms, to blow Pool A wide open.

Fullback Rob Kearney is in doubt to face the Russians after failing a Head Injury Assessment (HIA) during the defeat, and frustrated boss Joe Schmidt admitted Ireland are now left to play catch-up in the race to qualify for the quarter-finals, with the top two in Pool A heading into the last eight.

Ireland battered Scotland 27-3 to open their campaign in style, but the loss to the hosts has halted that momentum.

“Potentially the losing bonus-point could be really important, it means we have six points from two pool games so far,” said Schmidt.

“Japan have nine points, and then Samoa have five.

“We will I suppose have to chase a little bit now because we want to stay in with a chance of topping the pool. Certainly we’ve got to get in the top two.”

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