Rowntree confident about injured Munster duo

WOUNDED: Munster's Craig Casey makes a pass against Zebre Parma. Pic: Ben Brady, Inpho

Graham Rowntree is confident Ireland squad members Craig Casey and Tom Ahern will be fit to return to Guinness Six Nations duty this week ahead of this Saturday’s trip to England despite both players being removed from last Friday’s URC home win over Zebre Parma.

Scrum-half Casey was substituted on 54 minutes in Cork, shortly after emerging hobbling from contact.

“Just turned his ankle a bit,” Rowntree said.

“Precautionary. “Was limping then suddenly chased after his own kick. No, precautionary, he’ll be going into camp soon enough.”

Starting lock Ahern was removed six minutes later, with the head coach revealing the uncapped second row had experienced a back issue before the game.

“Tom was just precautionary, had a bit of a back spasm in the warm-up but the ability to have Gav (Coombes) moving into the row later on in the game is a real luxury for us so we did that.”

Fellow lock RG Snyman had also been replaced on 54 minutes, shortly after a linebreak from near halfway deep into the Zebre 22 in his second match since the World Cup final last October 31 having undergone surgery on chest/shoulder injury.

“Precautionary,” Rowntree said. “RG is still trying to build that engine, build his mileage up, same in training as well. Crikey, he made that break and he blew a gasket didn’t he? He couldn’t get rid of the ball quick enough.”