O'Donnell in doubt for World Cup
Ireland head coach Joe Schmidt is hoping that Tommy O'Donnell will be fit for the World Cup later this year after the Munster player was carried off during his team's 35-21 victory over Wales in Saturday's first World Cup warm-up match.
Schmidt admitted Ireland have a nervous wait on the extent of O'Donnell's hip injury.
"Tommy's gone to the hospital to get a scan," said Schmidt told The Irish Times. "At the moment we know he's hurt his hip but we don't know what the injury is and we'll know more about that in the next 24 to 48 hours.
"The frustrating thing for Tommy is that he made 14 or 15 tackles, he got at least three, maybe four or five turnovers.
"I thought he started the game really strongly and he's such a dynamic player for us that we're just going to cross our fingers and wait and see to be honest."
If O'Donnell fails to prove his fitness ahead of the World Cup then Ulster flank Chris Henry would then likely take the fifth back row slot in Ireland's final 31-man squad, alongside Jamie Heaslip, Peter O'Mahony, Sean O'Brien and Jordi Murphy.
The only other injury concern from the Wales' game is Andrew Trimble who suffered a "mild foot sprain" and will not be side-lined for long.
O'Donnell's injury aside, Schmidt praised his player for their performance in Cardiff particularly the exploits of Munster duo Keith Earls and Donnacha Ryan, both back in Test action for the first time in 29 months.
Schmidt also insisted that anyone culled from the squad next week will not have their World Cup hopes entirely dashed.
"Keith Earls got player of the match but Tommy (O'Donnell) did well and Donnacha Ryan got through a massive amount of work," said Schmidt.
"Donnacha bosses the line-out really well for us, we're delighted he finally got onto the pitch for us.
"I think by the time we announce the team for Scotland, and we've made some decisions about who's going to play against 
Scotland on Thursday we may have an idea of another four or five potentially who will work away.
"If we release some players back to their provinces, Ulster play Leinster and Munster play Connacht and we'll be at those games, and if they don't fit into getting an opportunity with us we'll still get to see them in those games and that way we can cover a little bit more game time and players can get that opportunity to impress in either environment.
"They'll obviously want to impress in our environment because the level will be a little bit more demanding."
Schmidt admitted that he is not looking forward certain players that they are surplus to requirements ahead of the World Cup.
"Inevitably there has to be some communication as to how and why a decision might be made," said Schmidt.
"Sometimes those decisions are very difficult to make and very tight, so they are not great conversations to be honest and they wouldn't be my favourite part of the job by a long shot.
"But they're part of the job and it's part of the respect I have for the players that they've committed to our programme so far, are working really hard, and the least you can do is make sure that communication is as clear as it can be, as candid as it can be, but probably conciliatory as well, because I know how hard they're working."
Source: The Irish Times
