Concussed: Brian O'Driscoll
Ireland have delayed their team announcement for Saturday's clash with Italy by 48 hours as they struggle to cope with a growing injury list.
Veteran centre Brian O'Driscoll's participation is in doubt after he suffered concussion, a lacerated ear and a dead leg in the 13-13 draw with France.
O'Driscoll's midfield partner Luke Marshall was also concussed in Dublin and is similarly being observed under IRB's concussion guidelines while lock Donnacha Ryan took a knock to his shoulder and will only take part in modified training this week.
Leinster back Fergus McFadden has been ruled out for between three to six weeks with a fractured rib while Eoin Reddan was set for surgery on his fractured fibula and ankle ligament damage on Monday.
As a result, Head coach Declan Kideny will now name his team for this weekend's fixture at the Stadio Olimpico on Thursday.
"I asked Brian why he wanted to tackle Vincent Debaty twice - I thought he had more smarts than that," joked assistant coach Les Kiss.
"He's a warrior who puts his body on the line week in, week out. We know that. It's amazing what he pulls from his reserves.
"I imagine he'll do everything to be available for Italy. He's talking as though he'll be there"
Team manager Mick Kearney blamed the injury crisis on simple bad luck rather than any underlying trend.
"The injury run has been absolutely extraordinary and reminded me of that quote, 'grotesque, unbelievable, bizarre and unprecedented'," said Kearney.
"There isn't an underlying issue. The majority of injuries are soft tissue, which can happen. We've just been unlucky.
"There's no trend and you can't look at it and say we're doing something wrong."
Good news for Irish fans is the return of fly-half Jonathan Sexton and wing Craig Gilroy while scrum-half Conor Murray has made a swift improvement from his knee problem.
Comments
sextons_on_fire says...
@mcdb06
LOL Pull the other one...did a quick google search and your lying through your teeth...Just another Munster troll with a chip on your shoulder and not enough public spaces to invade with your unique perfume and bag of washing for the mammy hahahahahahaha BOOM XD
Posted 20:33 13th March 2013
jamesliveinhope says...
Looks like Basil Brush is an Irishman.
Big question marks over Irish fitness generally not just in terms injury but in terms of second half turnarounds. Against Wales they were hanging on as well.
Did I see someone getting help with cramp about 10 minutes into the second half?
As an England fan, the one thing you expect with the Irish is that you have to weather a major storm for the first 30 but that the adrenaline wears off and the physical contest evens up after the rest of the game - is that first 30 starting to take too much out of the players I wonder?
Posted 16:03 13th March 2013
irishzimbabwean says...
Never argue with an idiot - onlookers will wonder which one is the idiot.
Posted 14:27 13th March 2013
mcdb06 says...
@sextons_on_fire
I'm from Dublin. And there's nothing wrong with my sense of humour. You're just not funny
Posted 13:29 13th March 2013
sextons_on_fire says...
@mcdb06
Grow a sense of humour YA LANGER. hahahahahahahahahaa BOOM
Posted 11:07 13th March 2013
mcdb06 says...
@ sextons_on_fire
Numpty
Posted 22:28 12th March 2013
sextons_on_fire says...
@paddy91317
For that to happen, BOD will need to starting brushing up on his Bible...Well, he did inspire it, after all!!!! hahahahaha BOOM
Posted 17:54 12th March 2013
paddy91317 says...
We need drico and katie taylor to mate and produce 15 sons.... we would never lose
Posted 21:21 11th March 2013