Dowling doubtful for Ospreys showdown

THERE was mixed news for Munster followers at yesterday’s Ireland team announcement in Limerick: three-quarter sensation Keith Earls hasn’t been ruled out of Ireland’s Six Nations clash with Italy in Rome on February 15, but Ian Dowling is in a race against time to be fit for Munster’s Heineken Cup quarter-final against Ospreys on April 12.

Earls wasn’t considered for selection ahead of Ireland’s opening Six Nations clash with France because of an on-going dead leg problem, but head coach Declan Kidney revealed there’s an “outside possibility” the 21-year-old will be available for the trip to Rome on Valentine’s weekend.

Earls picked up a dead leg in Munster’s Heineken Cup clash with Montauban last month, and initial reports indicated he’d be fit for Ireland’s opening Six Nations match.

According to the head coach, the Limerick man was in the mix for a starting berth against France but his leg injury hadn’t cleared up satisfactorily for inclusion this week.

“Keith wasn’t considered because the bang he got hadn’t cleared up enough for him to be in the reckoning for either team (senior or A team),” said Kidney. “He would have been in the melt. He started against Canada and subbed the other two, so he wasn’t too far off it. He’s been going well since. He did pick up a bad dead leg and so once it was revealed (he wouldn’t be fit), it was never an option.

“I’ve rarely before named guys that I don’t consider due to injury because it can put a leaning on the guys who you do pick and it can undermine them a little bit. But, at the same time, you need to recognise the information that needs to be put out.”

Kidney also said that a fit-again Earls would’ve been in contention for a starting berth against the French.

“I think had he (Keith) been up and going and the way he was playing, he would have been in the mix for a place, but we’re lucky because it comes back to where we have to develop a panel. He’s out this time but I’m sure he’ll be back soon. There’s an outside possibility of him being available next week.”

Meanwhile, the news on Dowling is not so promising after the left winger damaged his hamstring at Ireland camp last week. Kidney revealed that severe damage has been done to Dowling’s hamstring, and he will be sidelined for a minimum of eight weeks. It means question marks hang over his chances of facing the Ospreys in April.

“Unfortunately the word we’ve been given is that we won’t be able to include him in our plans any time during the Six Nations,” said Kidney.

“He’ll be treated at home — there’re excellent medics in all the provinces and he’ll get regular care and it’s the consistency of that care that will bring him through rather than changing physios or medics in between (if he stayed in Ireland camp).”