Ireland have been hit with another double injury blow ahead of the World Cup with co-captain Edel McMahon and Christy Haney unavailable for Saturday's final warm-up match against Canada.
Head coach Scott Bemand will name his 32-woman squad for the tournament on Monday.
Already without star forwards Erin King and Dorothy Wall, and with a big question mark over Aoife Wafer, Ireland can least afford to lose two more experienced forwards for the World Cup, which begins for Ireland against Japan on 24 August.
Flanker McMahon, who has 34 caps, has been dealing with a knee issue, while 24-cap prop Haney has an hamstring injury.
"Christy Haney (above) has picked up a bump, hamstring piece so that rules her out of consideration for this," Bemand told RTÉ Sport when asked if anyone was not considered for the game due to injury.
"Other than that we are in pretty good health coming back from the Scotland game.
"Obviously we’ve said that Aoife Wafer is tracking nicely but isn’t at the point to be considered for this game but other than that, as a squad, we’re in reasonable health."
Asked specifically about co-captain McMahon, he replied: "Sorry, 'Tricky' [Edel] as well. She’s back on the pitch and training and is doing a great job, bringing her leadership capabilities and setting the standard within training as she always had.
"This one probably comes a beat early but she’s right on the cusp of being ready. There’ll be a piece that she’s in the mix but not quite yet.
"Over the course of the summer we’ve just being managing a knee piece. She’s back on pitch training with the group now and ramping up the training minutes."
The Ireland team to face Canada in Belfast on Saturday at midday contains 10 changes to the team that beat Scotland last weekend.
On new squad member, Ellena Perry (above), has switched from England. Bemand said of the prop: "Yeah, Elle Perry is known to some of our group with Gloucester-Hartpury.
"She’s previously represented the Rose Roses and has an Irish grandparent, so we’ve been able to utilise connections from before.
"She hasn’t played for England since 2020. She’s a very good player.
"She started both the PWR semi-final and final last year so in terms of capability [she’s up there] and playing level.
"She’s been in for a couple of weeks now and she’s hit the ground running. She's more than earned her place in and around the group.
"The fit has been a seamless transition so she’ll put her hand up."
Neither Perry or Nancy McGillivray, who made her debut last weekend, were named in the original preparation squad back in May and Bemand went on to defend the practice of parachuting two players who had England connections into the World Cup selection mix so close to the tournament.
"If done incorrectly [it might be an issue]," he said, "but with Christy picking up the hamstring niggle we needed to bring in and supplement front row.
"So actually, everything has been done well, in my opinion. In terms of the playing group, she's known to a good few of our group.
"So actually transitioning in, in terms of the block that we've gone through, it's been a pre-season block.
"So people coming in and getting touch points within pre-season blocks is actually a really healthy point to enter. And it gives people time to acclimatize.
"It gives people time to understand what the culture is of the group.
"It's not just an on-pitch piece. There's an off-piece culture where people like to be themselves, and add to our wave. She's been able to do that."
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