After his awesome ball-carrying display in the Millennium Stadium David Wallace has emerged as a slight injury concern in the Irish camp though he is still expected to be named in an unchanged line-up today for Saturday's Six Nations game against England.
By comparison, England coach Clive Woodward seems to be facing one of his most troublesome selections in some time after Phil Vickery joined an increasing casualty list.
Wallace went for an MRI scan on a bruised shoulder yesterday morning which revealed nothing untoward and Irish coach Warren Gatland was optimistic that the dynamic flanker would play at Lansdowne Road on Saturday. "We're hopeful that he's going to be okay," said Gatland.
Ireland's other star turn in the record win over Wales, David Humphreys - who contributed a record haul in the fixture of 19 points - also missed training in Greystones yesterday as he was attending a funeral.
The remaining 20 of the squad who were on duty last week resumed work with an 80-minute afternoon session at Dr Hickey Park. They will have another behind-closed-doors training spin in Lansdowne Road this morning in which Leinster coach Matt Williams will again oversee some defensive drills. Tomorrow will be a designated rest day, before another closed session on Thursday and a lighter run-out on Friday.
England had intended concentrating their efforts earlier in the week at their Portmarnock Hotel base, though their plans have been disrupted by an ever-lengthening injury toll which now includes Vickery. Rather than travel with a 30-man squad to Dublin yesterday, the Lions' tight-head stayed in England to have a scan on the knee he injured in Gloucester's win over Harlequins last Saturday.
He is quoted as having told one local journalist: "I can't say it's looking good. I was in agony on Sunday and it got worse as the day went on."
In any event, Vickery's changed travel plans don't augur well. If he is ruled out, the obvious understudy is Julian White, though England could move Jason Leonard across to tight-head and start Graham Rowntree (who is a strong option anyhow) at loose-head. But White didn't play for Bristol on Sunday because of a knee injury.
The expected appearance of another Lion, number eight Martin Corry, is also in doubt because of a hamstring injury, though the feeling is that the English management will be very keen for Corry to play, especially in the absence of Lawrence Dallaglio. If Corry is also ruled out, England will most likely perm two from three, in the shape of Richard Hill, Joe Worsley and Alex Sanderson, alongside openside Neil Back.
Woodward and his advisers also have what seems like a very close call to make in the absence of Johnson. Of the alternatives, Simon Shaw is both more experienced at test level and at the front of the line, though Ben Kay and Steve Borthwick - Danny Grewcock's club partner at Bath - are strong contenders too.
Behind the pack, as expected Matt Dawson has been confirmed as captain (with Back vice-captain), and so will partner Jonny Wilkinson, while the Mike Catt-Will Greenwood combination should be reunited.
The outside three permutations are almost endless though. Matt Perry is in form, and scored all of Bath's points last Saturday in their 20-17 win over Sale from full-back, whereas his team-mate Iain Balshaw - Woodward's and especially Brian Ashton's preference at full-back for the past year - is still a little out of touch and still on the wing.
Dan Luger and Jason Robinson are other Lions' options on the wings. All in all, a potentially very fluid and difficult selection, albeit due to strength in depth and versatility in most cases.
For security and safety reasons the tickets that were issued for the original date of the Ireland v England game must be recalled. Anyone who has a ticket for March 24th is asked to contact the IRFU office at 01- 6473800 immediately. Patrons will not be admitted to the ground on production of an original ticket.
