Quinlan to miss Six Nations due to shoulder op

Ireland flanker Alan Quinlan will miss the Six nations Championship because of surgery on his his injured shoulder.

Quinlan will undergo an operation at the end of this week which will rule him out of the Six Nations and also Munster’s Heineken Cup pool games.

The 29-year-old suffered a dislocation and torn ligaments when scoring Ireland’s only try in their World Cup pool win over Argentina last month.

Quinlan, who has 19 caps and five international tries to his credit, expects to return next April and is aiming to tour South Africa with Ireland at the end of the season.

He said: “It’s quite a common injury among rugby players.

“Martin Johnson, Malcolm O’Kelly, Matt Burke and Stirling Mortlock have had similar operations in the past.

“I’m hoping to be back in April when, hopefully, Munster will be involved in the knock-out stage of the Heineken Cup,” he added.

Denis Hickie, who ruptured his Achilles tendon in Ireland’s World Cup defeat by Australia, has undergone an operation and will have his foot in plaster for the next six months.