Kearney/Isa injured

[simonokeeffe]

Rob Kearney out for c.10 weeks due to operation on his back (relapse in training, unclear if it's related to old problem and/or blow v Connacht)
Isa out for 4-6 weeks with broken hand (as spotted in Herbert Park)

Isa should be available then for Clermont games, but at what degree of (match) fitness
Kearney not back til January

For Cardiff we have back 3 options of Madigan, Carr, Conway, McFadden, and maybe Dave Kearney off the bench before dipping into academy wingers for a debutant

For Ospreys and Glasgow away we have Madigan (assuming Goodman covers outhalf), Carr, Conway, Dave Kearney then academy lads
For Zebre home Isa might be fit and McFadden should be available

[Peg Leg]

Shitballs

[Mauler]

IRELAND AND Leinster have been dealt a decidedly ill-timed blow with the news that Rob Kearney is to undergo an operation on his troublesome back and will be sidelined for around 10 weeks, and to compound this, Leinster will also be without Isa Nacewa for an estimated four to six weeks after he sustained a broken hand in their win over the Scarlets last Saturday.

The immediate consequences for Declan Kidney, who announces his 30-man squad for the forthcoming November Tests against South Africa and Argentina, are fairly grim given the options at full-back beyond Kearney are more skeletal than ever due to something of an injury crisis in the position.

Kearney has been an ever-present in the Ireland number 15 jersey for their last dozen tests, dating back to the pool win over Australia in the World Cup. But he was troubled by back problems toward the end of last season and then sustained a slightly freakish bang in his lower back barely half-an-hour into his seasonal re-appearance in the away defeat to Connacht at the end of September.

That forced him from the field and was said to be unrelated to his previous problem, with Leinster regularly suggesting his return was imminent, but apparently he has suffered a setback in training and after examinations by a specialist it has been decided that last season’s ERC European Player of the Year requires an operation.

The Lions’ Test fullback in South Africa will miss the November Tests and the crunch December back-to-back Heineken Cup matches with Clermont, but if all goes to plan Kearney will hopefully return in time for the final two rounds of the pool stages as well as the Six Nations.

Of the other six active players who have played at fullback for Ireland, five have been injured of late for various spells. The other full-back in the World Cup squad, Geordan Murphy, has since retired and though he has said he would never reject an Ireland call, he too has been sidelined since mid-September, as has Gavin Duffy with a knee injury.

Felix Jones, who won his first cap in the World Cup warm-up game at home to France in August last year and would have gone to the World Cup but for injury, only played his first 20 minutes for Munster last Sunday after another long-term absence. Luke Fitzgerald, who had a stint at full-back in the 2011 Six Nations, is another long-term absentee with a neck injury.

Ulster have been playing the Kiwi Jarred Payne, who won’t become Ireland qualified for another two years, and Connacht’s talented 18-year-old Robbie Henshaw was playing schools rugby at the end of last season, while both Munster and Leinster have shown a liking for converting their young back-up outhalves Ian Keatley and Ian Madigan.

Since Kidney gave Keith Earls his debut at fullback against Canada in November 2008, his only other cap of 32 at fullback was in the win over England in March 2011. He would be the likeliest option, but like Stephen Ferris and Ronan O’Gara, there is an injury cloud over Earls, who has missed both of Munster’s Heineken Cup outings with a groin injury.

Were he ruled out the most viable option would be Denis Hurley, who won his sole cap against the USA Eagles in Santa Clara under Kidney in the summer of 2009 and was included, in the absence of Kearney, in the 33-man squad for a two-day training camp in September.

Likewise, the options for Joe Schmidt are not exactly plentiful, as Nacewa’s broken hand means Leinster have been hit with a double whammy. Schmidt will presumably be allowed to play Jonathan Sexton at outhalf this week, thereby permitting Ian Madigan to continue at fullback against Cardiff Blues this Saturday, and at least Nacewa should be back for the critical December games away and at home to free-scoring Clermont.

As for the visit to the Ospreys on Sunday week, and the trek to Glasgow on the weekend Ireland host Argentina, with Madigan likely to be back at outhalf his only options would appear to be David Kearney (who might return from a hip operation this weekend) or Fionn Carr, bearing in mind Luke Fitzgerald is also sidelined until at least December with his neck problem.

In the interim, it is likely Kidney will name both Earls and Denis Hurley in the 30-man squad today, when he will also reveal whether Richardt Strauss is included for the first time in light of him becoming eligible to play for Ireland at the beginning of November, and which of the uncapped players currently on upward graphs have made the cut

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/spo ... 25948.html

[ror]

Isa isn't as bad as made out in the article. Robs injury has not responed well enough and intially I said he would defo be out for 6 to 12 weeks. 6 was if it didn't require surgery and 12 if it did.

[Scott]

Isa isn't as bad as made out in the article. Robs injury has not responed well enough and intially I said he would defo be out for 6 to 12 weeks. 6 was if it didn't require surgery and 12 if it did.

Any time line on Isa?

[ror]

I would think 3-4 weeks is more realistic.

[Scott]

I would think 3-4 weeks is more realistic.

Cheers ror.

[Donny B.]

Just when things seemed to be getting better on the injury front!

[mikey]

Gutted for us and them....

Any sign of Luke - if there was ever the time for a glorious return it would be about now....

[johng]

herald said Luke and sob for Glasgow game.

[nopeare]

Sickened by that, booked my trip for Clermont last night and was really hoping Kearney would be back......Any hope of it ror?

[ror]

No hope what so ever I am afraid. On that note Luke will not be ready for Glasgow game either. It's really bad for Leinster and I think we are under serious pressure. We need to sign some big names to keep this thing going. We need 1 second row now probably another one in the summer to replace Leo. We need a world class Centre and 1 world class winger. I think its only 50/50 if we see Luke in a Leinster top again....

[Dexter]

I think its only 50/50 if we see Luke in a Leinster top again....

Also what I had heard.

[LeRouxIsPHat]

I presume we're talking contracts as opposed to injuries?

[AdamK]

Why's that? Contract stuff again?

[AdamK]

If it is contract stuff is ridiculous. I know it's obviously expensive to keep an injured player on the books, but he's our best winger by a country mile - surely they can offer him a play-for-pay contract?

[tones]

Kearneys injury is a really bad blow in that its another injury to an International. However, I believe with Isa back for Clermont and Dave Kearney back to fitness we will be ok (just).
This is a much more serious blow for Ireland....who are scuppered with a coach out of his depth.

[ror]

My info is its a combination of both... It so sad to see but thats the world of professional sport I suppose.

[AdamK]

Well, 50/50 is better than 60/40 against I suppose. All digits crossed he comes back strong...

[tones]

Terrible to see him go.