Cup injury blows for Munster and Leinster

MUNSTER and Leinster hopes of advancing to the Heineken Cup semi-finals suffered major blows in the Stadio Flaminio on Saturday.

Ireland and Leinster captain Brian O’Driscoll tore his hamstring midway through the second half and is almost certainly ruled out for the remainder of the season.

Coach Eddie O’Sullivan said the damage as “serious” and that the centre is unlikely to play until the World Cup warm up matches against Scotland and Italy in August. Ireland are to tour Argentina in May and June, but O’Sullivan has made it clear he won’t ask leading players to participate.

O’Driscoll will miss Leinster’s Heineken Cup visit to London Wasps on Saturday week with Michael Cheika likely to call up Kieran Lewis, who is Munster-bound at the beginning of next season. Cheika’s Munster counterpart Declan Kidney has no such luxury as he goes in search of a replacement for second-row Mick O’Driscoll who also had to leave the field in Rome with a rib injury.

The problem will be assessed again today, but O’Driscoll was despondent about his prospects of facing Llanelli Scarlets at Stradey Park on Friday week. The situation is exacerbated for Kidney as first choice Paul O’Connell is ruled out due to a thumb fracture. Kidney may turn to the 34 year-old Welshman Chris Wyatt, ironically a Llanelli legend having toiled in their cause for more than a decade before coming to Munster at the beginning of this season.

Kidney could take a chance on young Shannon forward Donncha Ryan who was added to the Heineken Cup squad on Thursday.

An outside bet would be to consider Alan Quinlan who has played in the “engine room” of the pack and may be asked to fill the gap, especially if Anthony Foley recovers from injury.

Compounding the coach’s problems is the broken finger which may rule out full-back Shaun Payne.

Another dilemma is the kind of side he puts on the field against Ulster in the Magners League at Ravenhill on Friday night. Eight of his first choice team have been in action with Ireland over the past eight weeks and could do with a rest. However, that game offers the coach the only opportunity of playing his likely Heineken Cup side together before the visit to Stradey.