Horgan relieved as scan reveals minimal injury

SHANE HORGAN will head for a specialist’s surgery today with a spring rather than a limp in his step.

Horgan could be forgiven for thinking "here we go again" when he buckled over on his ankle at an Irish squad training session on Tuesday.

Yesterday, however, he was much more positive about his prospects of a speedy recovery after an MRI scan

revealed the damage to his ligaments was much less serious than he'd initially feared.

The powerful Leinster and Ireland centre said: "I still have to see a specialist on Thursday but I am feeling much better about the situation now that I have had the scan.

"It revealed that the damage was minimal much more a strain than a tear."

Horgan has been through the mill with injury in the last eight months.

In that time he sustained an ongoing heel injury, a rib injury and then had to undergo an operation to remove a piece of floating bone in his ankle.

That recovery period ruled him out of Ireland's summer tour to New Zealand but Horgan was happy to have the trouble behind him.

"Everything was going great with my pre-season training until Tuesday. The injury was to my 'good' ankle and I thought I would be out for much longer.

"The feeling now is that, all going well, I can be back in full training within a fortnight or three weeks at the worst."

Whether that will be god enough to persuade Irish coach Eddie O'Sullivan of his readiness for Ireland's upcoming Internationals against Romania and Russia within the next month is debatable.

"I don't know what the view of the Irish management will be but all I can do is listen to the medical advice and then start training when I get the go-ahead," Horgan said.

Meanwhile, Munster continue their preparations for the Celtic League when they take on Connacht in the Sportsgrounds in Galway tomorrow(Friday).

New Coach Alan Gaffney is expected to give most of the squad international players are not available a run during three 40 minute periods in the game.

The only one of the non internationals unlikely to play a part is new signing Simon Kerr.

The Australian arrived in Ireland six days ago but took slight knock to his shoulder in training this week and will be rested as a precautionary measure.