Wounded Ireland suffer Stander blow

Ireland will be without CJ Stander for their Six Nations clashes with Scotland and Italy due to a facial injury.

The British and Irish Lions back-row suffered the damage in a brutal 32-20 defeat to England in Dublin on Saturday.

Stander is expected to out for up to four weeks, so should return to face France at the Aviva Stadium in the penultimate round.

Keith Earls will be managed early this week ahead of a trip to Murrayfield to face Scotland on Saturday after the wing was withdrawn at half-time last weekend with a hip injury.

Devin Toner (ankle) and Garry Ringrose (hamstring) will also be monitored, while Andrew Conway (calf) is to undergo rehabilitation with Munster this week.

The defending champions’ loss to Eddie Jones’s side was their first at home since November 2016.

1 – Here is @OptaJonny‘s round-up of the best stats from the opening weekend of the 2019 #GuinnessSixNations. Drama. pic.twitter.com/DLUDeydwyg

— OptaJonny (@OptaJonny) February 4, 2019

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