Fitzgerald’s Irish chances dashed

LUKE FITZGERALD hopes of breaking into Declan Kidney’s Six Nations squad to face Wales look to be dashed by a neck injury which has cost him a place in the Irish Wolfhounds selection to face the English Saxons on Saturday.

Fitzgerald was omitted from Kidney’s training squad last week but many pundits predicted the Leinster star could play himself back into contention with an impressive display in Exeter at the weekend.

However, the neck injury which ruled him out of the champions’ Heineken Cup pool victory over Montpellier on Saturday has not responded to treatment and Fitzgerald is set for a spell on the sidelines.