IRELAND HAVE CONFIRMED that Ryan Baird will miss Saturday’s game against Fiji due to a head injury, but there is good news with Tadhg Furlong and Tom O’Toole back in training and in contention to make their returns.

First-choice tighthead prop Furlong has yet to play this autumn due to a hamstring injury, while O’Toole missed last weekend’s win over Argentina due to a head injury. However, both are now back in training ahead of the clash with Fiji.

“Ryan is out,” said Ireland assistant coach John Fogarty today.

“And the two boys [Furlong and O'Toole] are back in, they trained today. Hopefully, they will get through the week.”

Having Furlong back is an obvious boost.

“He’s good,” said Fogarty, “full of energy.

“So, yeah, he got through the session today and he will be assessed as we go along.

“I’d say bullish, he’s eager to get back and excited to be in and around the team again. It’s lonely when you’re outside of that. He’s excited to be in and around the team, and we are excited as well.”

Ireland are expected to make a number of changes to their team this week, with the likes of Craig Casey, Sam Prendergast, and Jamie Osborne pushing for a starting chance, but Fogarty said balance will be vital.

“I think it’s important that we are doing right by everyone in our side, continuing to look for a performance.

“Fiji have improved. We played them two years ago and they’ve certainly improved. You see that through the Wales game, they didn’t quite have the full side out in that Scotland match, but they’re a dangerous side.

“So, it’s important that we are focusing on developing a good performance. Andy [Farrell] and ourselves will select accordingly.”

As Ireland’s scrum coach, Fogarty was thrilled to see 24-year-old Thomas Clarkson making his debut last weekend against Argentina.

He was impressed with the young Leinster prop’s impact off the bench.

“I was delighted,” said Fogarty. “We went on an EI [Emerging Ireland] tour a couple of years ago, he is a great character.

“He does a few things really well at scrum time. He came in as a guy who we were looking at for the future and circumstances allowed him to go onto the field last weekend.

“It was amazing, Cian getting 133 [caps] and Tom getting one. It was an incredibly exciting week to be a scrum coach and watch both those things happen.

“Tom did a good job. He will certainly take his learnings. It’s always exciting when you get another Irish tighthead onto the field.

“Hopefully he will take everything he has learned and push on. I’ve said it before, that’s what we need. We want every front-rower to step up. And Tom has stepped up in this camp and I’m delighted he got capped.”