Five HIA's during Leinster clash with Munster leaves both sides and Ireland with injury worries

Ireland Head Coach Andy Farrell faces a selection challenge as the number of injured hookers piles up.

FIVE HIA'S: Munster’s Niall Scannell was one of five players to go off for a HIA during Leinster and Munster's interpro on Saturday. Picture: ©INPHO/Dan Sheridan

Five Head Injury Assessments and yet another injured Irish hooker were the byproducts of Saturday’s high-intensity clash as Leo Cullen, Graham Rowntree, and Ireland boss Andy Farrell begin to assess the collateral damage from this Croke Park derby.

Ireland face New Zealand at Aviva Stadium on November 8 with Farrell already resigned to the absence of first-choice hooker Dan Sheehan, not due back from an ACL injury sustained against South Africa in July until at least the New Year.

Leinster were without Test back-up Ronan Kelleher on Saturday after he sustained an ankle injury in the round-three win at Benetton and Cullen lost another hooker during the Munster clash when Lee Barron was removed with an unspecified knock at half-time, the URC league leaders turning to academy front rower Gus McCarthy for the second half, having returned earlier in the week from the Emerging Ireland tour to South Africa.

Munster also had their issues at hooker with the in-form Niall Scannell removed temporarily for an HIA in the seventh minute, and his replacement Diarmuid Barron taking the same route out of the game eight minutes later. Barron did not reappear, leaving Scannell to play the rest of the game having been cleared to return to the action.

With Ulster pair Tom Stewart (ankle) and Rob Herring (calf) also currently sidelined, Connacht’s Dave Heffernan may be the next cab off the rank for Ireland, having joined the Test squad on tour as injury cover during the Springbok series this summer.

The attritional nature of Saturday’s contest also saw Ireland back-rower Jack Conan and lock-flanker Ryan Baird removed from the fray by Leinster, while second row Joe McCarthy missed the game due to “a niggle”.

Leinster boss Cullen was non-committal on the extent of Conan’s injury, post-match.

“Good question, we'll get a report. I didn't get a huge amount from the medics in there, so we'll get the report on Monday.

“There's a few bangs and bruises. Even Lee Barron going off at half time, which was not planned. Ryan Baird comes off as well, RG (Snyman) had come off just before that. That was sort of to get him up and running with 50 minutes and then you lose Ryan Baird.

“So it's disruptive. You have a tighthead (Thomas Clarkson) playing in the back row, make a change and then you've a loosehead (Andrew Porter) playing in the back row, so it's never going to be perfect.” 

Munster head coach Rowntree was similarly pragmatic as he assessed his available bodies for Monday’s flight to South Africa and a two-game tour against the Stormers and Sharks over the next two Saturdays. Ireland captain Peter O’Mahony (hamstring) and tighthead prop Oli Jager (neck) look set to miss the trip after injuries in round three, while against Leinster, Jeremy Loughman sustained a nasty gash below his eye and was replaced in the first half. Openside flanker John Hodnett spent 10 minutes off during the second half for an HIA and replacement prop John Ryan was removed for the same reason on 74 minutes.

“You’ve got to roll with the punches. We’re used to that. Lads come off when their mouthguard sensor gets pinged, I can’t change that. You’ve got to deal with that and it’s right that we’re looking after our players like that.

“But there was a point in the first half where I had to run down to the side of the field to help manage substitutions because we’d lost two hookers in a matter of minutes, that’s a new one, and Jeremy’s walking off as well.

“We’ll get on with it. We’ll see how they are tomorrow. There’s no grave concerns at the moment.” Rowntree stressed he was confident with the way the sport was handling head injuries currently.

“We need to look after the players. I agree with it but the idea of these mouthguards with the sensors, it’s a sound idea. I’m very confident with all the HIA return to play protocols, I’m really confident in that.

“There was a huge amount today. That’s how the game is but we’ll manage that. I think it’s us as coaches, as provinces, as clubs, get on with it, manage it, deal with it.”