MACK HANSEN and Finlay Bealham face a race against time to be fit to face Scotland.
Hansen suffered a cut to his leg in Saturday’s win over England.
The winger required stitches in the first half and was able to return to the fray but it remains to be seen if he will be given the green light to line out at Murrayfield.
Bealham is also a concern for the Edinburgh encounter after he picked up a leg injury of his own in Ireland’s Six Nations’ opener.
Bealham’s issue is of particular concern given Tadhg Furlong was absent because of a calf problem and it is unclear whether he or Joe McCarthy (concussion) will be available to face Gregor Townsend’s men.
An IRFU bulletin said both had ‘stepped up their rehabilitation programmes and a decision on their availability will be made later this week’.
In the meantime, two uncapped props – Munster’s Thomas Ahern and Shayne Bolton of Connacht – have been added to the squad.
Former Ireland back-row Sean O’Brien and Mark Sexton – elder brother of Johnny – have joined the coaching staff this week.
They will form part of Mike Prendergast’s management team for the Ireland A team for their game against England in Bristol on Sunday February 23, the day after the third-round Six Nations fixture for Simon Easterby’s side against Wales in Cardiff.
