Ireland back row Jack Conan has started full training with the squad and could be in contention to play against Scotland in their final Rugby World Cup Pool B fixture in Paris on 7 October, assistant coach Simon Easterby has confirmed.
Conan injured his foot in the 33-17 warm-up victory over Italy on 5 August and has not featured since, but such is his importance to coach Andy Farrell that he took a gamble on his fitness for the tournament, which now appears to have paid off.
The 31-year-old was part of a full squad that trained in Tours on Thursday after the players had been given several days off following the epic 13-8 victory over South Africa this past weekend.
"Jack is back, training, it is all good. Like everyone else, he has got a bit of work to get through, but he's in a great place. We are 33 men, fit and ready to go," Easterby told reporters.
"Jack is an important part of the squad. At certain stages he has probably felt it (the injury) might not come right, but he has worked hard with the conditioners, physios and nutritionists. He has done everything he can to get himself in this position."
Easterby says they were eager to give Conan, who toured South Africa with the British & Irish Lions in 2021, the chance to prove his fitness and added he should be available to face the Scots.
"We all felt it was the right thing to do to give him the opportunity. We are starting to see the Jack that we'd have liked to have seen a few weeks ago, but injury has not allowed him to be in that place.
"He is in a good place now and there's no reason why he won't be available next week."
Easterby also confirmed centre Stuart McCloskey was back with the squad after returning home for the birth of his second child.