Injuries force coaches to consider their options

THERE is no good time to pick up a serious injury but some months are better than others.

Take the case over the past week or so of Ulster pair, Rory and Neil Best, along with Munster’s Ian Dowling.

The chances are that Neil Best will be out of contention for most of the Six Nations because of badly damaged ankle ligaments. Rory Best is troubled by a similar injury although his diagnosis is more favourable and he could be back within a month.

Dowling will be sidelined for Munster’s Heineken Cup games against Clermont Auvergne and London Wasps as well as several Magners League outings.

Rory Best had established himself as the Ulster captain and won a new contract when he came a cropper in the

St Stephen’s Day Magners clash with Leinster. In spite of his team’s dismal season, Rory was still in contention for Ireland’s number two jersey in the Six Nations campaign.

If he is out of the running for the visit of Italy on February 2, the likelihood is that Jerry Flannery and Bernard Jackman will represent the best options for coach Eddie O’Sullivan who will also have been impressed by Frankie Sheahan in the limited chances he has had with Munster.

Neil Best would also have fancied his chances at number six, all the more so with Simon Easterby close to the end of his international career. Denis Leamy’s outstanding performances on the blind side of the Munster scrum since his move there due to Alan Quinlan’s thumb injury will have caught O’Sullivan’s attention and he may well be the front runner, especially with Jamie Heaslip laying down a marker at number eight.

There is, however, good news of Quinlan who has resumed training with Munster and could be in contention for a place in Friday night’s Magners League squad against Ulster at Ravenhill and against Clermont on Sunday week, January 13.

O’Sullivan names an extended Ireland squad on the following day. The coach overlooked Quinlan at the World Cup but the Munster man has since had storming displays against Wasps and Clermont before injury intervened.

Ian Dowling’s knee injury is a disaster for the Kilkenny man who has been in fine form on Munster’s left wing. Coach Declan Kidney now has to decide how best to fill the number 14 jersey for the three crucial games in successive weeks against Ulster, Clermont and Wasps. Anthony Horgan is an obvious option but the arrival of New Zealander Doug Howlett gives Kidney a few choices.

Kidney has yet to show his hand where he believes Howlett can best serve the cause. The man who has touched down a record 49 tries for the All Blacks and 59 times in the Super 12 and 14 is most at home on the right wing and at fullback.

Meanwhile, there is little news from the Munster camp relating to skipper Paul O’Connell who has been sidelined since the World Cup with a back injury.

He has been doing some light training but unless he gets back into full contact pretty soon, he is unlikely to be considered for Ireland’s Six Nations opener.

Shane Horgan remains on the injured list and Ollie Le Roux will also miss Leinster’s Magners League meeting with the Ospreys at the RDS on Saturday. Le Roux’s absence could see the promising Cian Healy start, having scored a superb try and impressing when introduced in the second half against Ulster, start on St Stephen’s Day.

However, Healy may have to bide his time given that he only celebrated his 20th birthday in October and the place could instead go to Ronan McCormack, who has recovered from a long term injury. Brian O’Driscoll’s damaged ankle has healed and he is likely to return in the centre.