Il Nuovo Postiglione - Veteran Healy 'devastated' at Ireland Rugby World Cup squad omission

Leinster's Healy, 35, limped off the field in Saturday's narrow 17-13 victory over Samoa at Bayonne in their final warm-up game before the tournament.

Healy was playing in his 125th international and had been hoping to feature in a fourth World Cup.

"He'll be out for a spell of time that won't be right, unfortunately, for Cian and for us, certainly for the start of the competition," Farrell told reporters.

"We'll see how his rehab goes during it, you'd never know towards the back end if he could be a replacement or not.

"He's devastated as we are as a group for him," he added.

Munster's Jeremy Loughman takes loose-head Healy's spot in Farrell's set-up, captained by 38-year-old Johnny Sexton.

Sexton missed all of Ireland's three warm-ups this month due to a ban after making remarks to officials following May's Champions Cup final loss to La Rochelle.

"I made a mistake in the heat of the moment, obviously I was very emotional on the day not being part of what I had mapped out at the start of the year," Sexton told reporters.

"It has been incredibly frustrating to have to sit and watch."

There is also a place in the squad for Ulster centre Stuart McCloskey as well as Keith Earls despite the experienced Munster winger missing the win over Samoa with a minor injury.

Hookers Dan Sheehan and Ronan Kelleher are also included as they are expected to overcome foot and hamstring issues.

Farrell, who led the side to this year's Six Nations Grand Slam, heads to France with 18 players tasting their first World Cup.

Sexton, Earls as well as second-choice scrum-half Conor Murray will appear in their third edition.

Leading contenders Ireland begin their campaign against Romania on September 9 and also play Tonga, holders South Africa and Scotland in Pool B.

Ireland squad for the Rugby World Cup (September 8-October 28):

Forwards

Props: Finlay Bealham (Connacht), Tadhg Furlong (Leinster), Dave Kilcoyne (Munster), Andrew Porter (Leinster), Jeremy Loughman (Munster), Tom O'Toole (Ulster)

Hookers: Dan Sheehan (Leinster), Rob Herring (Ulster), Ronan Kelleher (Leinster)

Locks: Tadhg Beirne (Munster), Iain Henderson (Ulster), James Ryan (Leinster), Joe McCarthy (Leinster)

Back row: Ryan Baird (Leinster), Jack Conan (Leinster), Peter O'Mahony (Munster), Josh van der Flier (Leinster)

Backs

Scrum-halves: Craig Casey (Munster), Jamison Gibson-Park (Leinster), Conor Murray (Munster)

Fly-halves: Johnny Sexton (Leinster, capt), Ross Byrne (Leinster), Jack Crowley (Munster)

Centres: Robbie Henshaw (Leinster), Hugo Keenan (Leinster), Bundee Aki (Connacht), Garry Ringrose (Leinster), Stuart McCloskey (Ulster)

Wings: Keith Earls (Munster), Mack Hansen (Connacht) James Lowe (Leinster)

Full-backs: Hugo Keenan (Leinster), Jimmy O'Brien (Leinster)

A.Foglio--INP