Connacht suffer fresh injury blow ahead of Leinster clash

CONNACHT have suffered another serious injury blow with number eight Ezra Taylor ruled out until at least February after breaking a bone in his hand.

The Kiwi, who joined Connacht during the summer as a replacement for the inspirational George Naoupu, suffered the injury in the 16-12 loss to Munster on Monday evening at the Sportsground.

The former Queensland Reds player will miss tomorrow’s crucial clash against Leinster and Connacht’s third Magners League clash in eleven days when they travel to Newport to play the Dragons next Thursday.

The 27-year old will also miss the Amlin Challenge Cup games against Bayonne and Cavalieri Prato, although Connacht are already out of contention for that particular competition.

The timing of the injury could not be much worse with skipper John Muldoon set to miss most of the season, while the versatile backrower Ray Ofisa is still out having been injured in October.

Coach Eric Elwood said that Taylor’s injury has left the Connacht management with a major selection headache ahead of the New Year’s Day Magners League clash with Leinster at the RDS.

“We thought Ezra was going to be okay and that he didn’t require surgery but now he is going to be out for six to seven weeks.

“That leaves us with a crisis in the back row. With John Muldoon out we have already had to call in Eoin McKeon and with Mike McComish fluey and sick we are very short,” said Elwood.

Brett Wilkinson is part of an extended Connacht squad for tomorrow’s clash, and the South African forward may feature in the game at the RDS after he returned to training following a shoulder injury sustained in the defeat to Harlequins in the Amlin Challenge Cup at the beginning of December. He will be monitored ahead of the game before Eric Elwood decides on a team for the game. Connact lie second from bottom on 16 points.

CONNACHT squad (vs Leinster): Forwards: J Hagan, B Wilkinson, R Sweeney, R Ah You, B Fa’amausili, D Rogers, A Flavin, D Murphy, M Swift, B Upton, M McCarthy, A Browne, M McComish, J O’Connor, E McKeon.

Backs: F Murphy, C Willis, I Keatley, M Nikora, K Matthews, B Tuohy, N Ta’auso, E Griffin, F Carr, T Nathan, D Fanning, A Wynne, G Duffy.