Blow for Connacht as Marmion out for three months after ankle surgery

By Declan Rooney

Connacht must plan without both Bundee Aki and Kieran Marmion for the next few games after their heroics with Ireland.

Marmion faces three months on the sidelines after surgery on his ankle injury, while centre Aki has been granted leave by Connacht and the IRFU to return to New Zealand for his wedding.

Neither will be available for the European doubleheader against Paddy Jackson’s Perpignan next month although Aki is expected back in time to face Leinster at the RDS in the week before Christmas.

“We are excited to have Bundee back but he needs to have a break from IRFU duties, which will be over this next period of time,” said head coach Andy Friend.

He is actually going to head home and he and his partner are getting married. That was agreed to a while ago, that he would head back to New Zealand and have some time for his wedding. There is a brief time for him to head home, get married and then he’ll be back with us in the middle of December. He should be (back for the inter-pros).

Marmion’s absence is more serious for Connacht though. With Conor Murray sidelined through injury Marmion staked his claim for the back-up scrum-half shirt ahead of the Six Nations, but he now faces a race to prove his fitness ahead of their competition opener against England on February 2.

Marmion originally picked up the injury in Connacht’s win against Ulster last month, but he aggravated it playing for Ireland against Argentina, and then played an hour against New Zealand a week later.

“He [Marmion] is a tough individual. He was very focused and driven for that New Zealand performance, you could see it in his eyes as he built up to it. He knew there was an opportunity there and he certainly produced on the night. I think it’s just a taste of things to come from him. He’s quality and he’s tough and he’s got all the resilience and quality that you want from a player as well as the skill-set. The important thing for him now is to get it fixed and get back as quickly as possible. James Mitchell gets his opportunity now and it’s a real important time for him too.”

Connacht open their two-game tour of South Africa on Sunday when they take on the Isuzu Southern Kings, before they go on to meet the Cheetahs six days later. Back into the squad comes Gavin Thornbury following his two-month lay-off with a shoulder injury. Paul Boyle (shoulder), Peter McCabe (head) and Matt Healy, following his recent foot injury, are also in the touring 25.