Best suffered the damage to his left foot in Ulster's Champions Cup quarter-final defeat by Leinster on Saturday and following a scan on Monday it was confirmed he will be fit to lead Ireland in Japan

The fly-half has not appeared for Leinster since the turn of the year, and was ruled out of last Saturday’s Champions Cup quarter-final victory over Ulster with a quad issue.

Ireland and Ulster captain Rory Best has announced he will retire from professional rugby after the World Cup in Japan. Hooker Best has been capped 116 times by his country.

Joe Schmidt has suffered a World Cup injury blow with veteran flanker Seán O'Brien ruled out of the tournament in Japan with a hip injury. His set for six months on the sidelines.

Munster duo Mike Haley and Jean Kleyn are the only uncapped players included in Ireland's 44-man training squad for their pre-World Cup training camps.

Catt is expected to join Ireland as attack coach after the autumn's Rugby World Cup. The former England coach has agreed a deal to trade Italy for Ireland's set-up, it is understand.

Premier playmaker Johnny Sexton is expected to be fit shortly, but Ireland can ill afford to lose either of their main backline pivots. They open their World Cup by taking on Scotland on September 22.

England want all three available to take on Ireland to offset any need to pitch Billy Vunipola into a third Test in as many weeks. All three trained on Wednesday at England's Pennyhill Park camp.

Johnny Sexton has missed out on Ireland's World Cup warm-up clash with England at Twickenham on Saturday. The fly-half sat out of training at the start of the week in Portugal.

England have reverted to the 10-12 alliance of George Ford and captain Owen Farrell for Saturday's clash against Ireland at Twickenham, in a line-up featuring nine changes.

SIR CLIVE WOODWARD: It is exactly the team I would have picked for a must-win game at the tournament. This is the first time he has put his full strength side out in these warm-up games.

CHRIS FOY AT TWICKENHAM: The match tickets proclaimed 'this is no warm-up' and on a scorching, record-breaking day here, Manu Tuilagi and England proved too hot to handle.

Ireland and Wales will smash into each other in the final World Cup warm-up of the summer, despite the lingering risk of cruel last-minute injuries. Both sides are almost at full strength for Dublin Test.

RORY KEANE: This Ireland squad were primed to reach a first-ever World Cup semi-final, and possibly more. But they have been seemingly in free-fall since the events of February 2 at the Aviva.

World Rugby bosses have hit back at claims 31-man World Cup squads threaten player welfare by insisting top coaches left their objections too late to have any effect for the 2019 tournament in Japan.

Over a long and distinguished career, Brian O'Driscoll became adept at dealing with everything and anything thrown his way.

Our first home nation clash of the Rugby World Cup  and hopefully not last will see Ireland take on Scotland in their pool A clash. Follow live score, substitutions, sin bins and more right here.

Ireland delivered on their promise to hit form when it mattered most by stunning Scotland 27-3 with a bonus-point blitz to launch their Japanese World Cup quest in style.

Gregor Townsend confessed it 'doesn't look good' for Hamish Watson after admitting the Scotland flanker's World Cup might be over already. The Dark Blues suffered a 27-3 mauling from Ireland.

RORY KEANE IN YOKOHAMA: Iain Henderson hailed the performance of Rory Best after Ireland trounced Scotland, claiming the captain had 'silenced a lot of his critics'.

RORY KEANE IN SHIZUOKA: Carty starts only his second Test in place of conductor-in-chief Johnny Sexton, who is out with a groin injury. Schmidt reckons Carty has the right stuff.

Japan claimed one of the greatest upsets in rugby history, four years after their historic win over South Africa. 

Ireland head coach Joe Schmidt admitted Japan had raised their game to 'furious' levels after stunning them 19-12 in Shizuoka.

Brian O'Driscoll praised Japan and poured scorn on Ireland's performance after the Brave Blossoms produced a stunning World Cup upset. 

RORY KEANE IN SHIZUOKA: Japan shocked the globe for the second time in four years by stunning Ireland 19-12 to light a bomb under Pool A and a fire under their home World Cup.

RORY KEANE IN SHIZUOKA: Johnny Sexton has challenged Ireland to channel the hurt of the loss to Japan into their final pool games with Russia and Samoa. 

Ireland coach Joe Schmidt has revealed World Rugby admitted there were three incorrect offside calls given against his side during their shock 19-12 World Cup Pool A defeat by Japan.

Ireland picked up the bonus point they needed but were made to work hard for it by a stubborn Russian side. Russia spent 20 minutes down to 14 men in the middle of the match.

Sexton captained Ireland for the first time on Thursday, but he was replaced by Jack Carty for the second-half of his side's five-try win over the Bears.

RORY KEANE AT THE MISAKI PARK STADIUM: Job done. Ireland got their World Cup campaign back on a track with a bonus-point win over Russia in Kobe, but this was another worrying performance.

RORY KEANE IN KOBE: There was a moment in the second half which pretty much summed up Ireland's performance under the closed roof here at Kobe Misaki Stadium.

RORY KEANE IN FUKUOKA: Fourteen-man Ireland sealed their place in the World Cup quarter finals with a seven-try victory over Samoa here in Fukuoka, but Bundee Aki's red card will be a worry.

Bundee Aki was sent off in the 29th minute after a high tackle at Fukuoka Hakatanomori Stadium and faces a multiple-game suspension, souring the win that put Ireland through to the quarters.

Tadhg Furlong has warned that to switch off even for a second against New Zealand will cost Ireland the chance of a maiden World Cup semi-final.

Johnny Sexton has questioned the 'strange' negativity around Ireland's World Cup campaign, insisting Joe Schmidt's men are ready to peak for the All Blacks.

Bundee Aki will miss the rest of the World Cup after receiving a three-match ban for his red card against Samoa. The Ireland centre was sent off in the 47-5 win for a high tackle on UJ Seuteni.

WORLD CUP DIARY: Johnny Sexton was as combative off the field as he is on it on Monday, questioning the media coverage of Ireland's World Cup.

All Blacks boss Steve Hansen lit the fuse on a potentially explosive week on Monday by vowing to lay false traps for Ireland's master tactician and head coach Joe Schmidt.

'Sean aggravated a pre-existing neck muscle complaint and has been ruled out of the remainder of RWC19,' read an Irish Rugby Football Union statement.

RORY KEANE IN TOKYO: Ireland have a shot at history here on Saturday, with the All Blacks standing in the way of a place in the World Cup semi-finals.

All Blacks take on Ireland in their Rugby World Cup quarter-final clash in Japan as they look to progress to the semi-final to take on either England or Australia. Follow LIVE ACTION RIGHT HERE.

RORY KEANE AT TOKYO STADIUM: Dear, oh dear. Ireland's abysmal record in World Cup quarter finals continued in Tokyo as a rampant All Blacks outfit romped to a seven-try victory.

Caelan Doris has been backed to make a huge impact for Ireland on his Six Nations debut against Scotland on Saturday, with assistant coach Simon Easterby saying the No 8 is 'made for this level'.

RORY KEANE AT THE AVIVA STADIUM: Scotland head coach Gregor Townsend jumped to the defence of skipper Stuart Hogg for the incredible blunder which cost the visitors dear in Dublin.

RORY KEANE AT THE AVIVA STADIUM: Johnny Sexton says Ireland are trying to draw a line under the hellish events of last year and Saturday was a good start as Andy Farrell's side won.

Ireland are desperate to show green shoots of recovery after a harrowing World Cup under Joe Schmidt. Sportsmail analyses their threats, and what has changed under new coach Andy Farrell.

England will bottle the feeling of seeing Ireland win the Six Nations Grand Slam at Twickenham two years ago and use it this week, according to George Ford.

Brian O'Driscoll has accused Eddie Jones of 'scaremongering' and admitted he relished the sight of the England head coach's comments backfiring so spectacularly against France.

The Irish travel to Twickenham seeking to clinch a second Triple Crown in three years after beginning this year's tournament with successive home wins over Scotland and Wales.

WILL KELLEHER IN DUBLIN: The 59-year-old Bono dropped into the Irish camp to give a rallying speech to Andy Farrell's team ahead of their Six Nations clash with England.