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Another rookie called up by Ireland as rotten injury run continues for Garry Ringrose
By Liam Heagney
Ireland have been forced into a summer series squad change - James Hume for Garry Ringrose - just two days after Andy Farrell unveiled his 37-strong squad to take on Japan and the USA in Dublin on the first two Saturdays of July.
The selection of Ringrose meant that he was the joint-most capped back selected in the squad, his 34 appearances only matched behind the scrum by Jacob Stockdale. However, the midfielder's frustratingly injury-hit season has now had a final sting in the tail as a shoulder problem will require an operation.
Ringrose first broke his jaw in the October renewal of the delayed 2020 Guinness Six Nations, suffering the injury in Dublin against Italy, and he missed some more time when that same jaw took an accidental bang from a Leinster teammate in the pre-Christmas European clash with Northampton.
Ringrose made it back to full fitness in time for the Guinness Six Nations but he pulled up lame after the round four win at Scotland and it was six weeks before he got on the pitch again back at Leinster.
His latest setback now ensures he isn't available for any potential call-up should the Lions require midfield cover on their tour to South Africa, a trip where Warren Gatland chose Bundee Aki and Robbie Henshaw as his two centre picks from Ireland.
An IRFU statement read: "Garry Ringrose has been ruled out with a shoulder issue that requires a procedure." The injury to Ringrose and the inclusion of replacement Hume, a try-scorer in last September's final of the 2019/20 PRO14, brings to twelve the number of uncapped players now in Farrell's Ireland squad for the upcoming Aviva Stadium matches.
Hume joins Ulster colleagues Robert Baloucoune, Tom O’Toole and Nick Timoney, Connacht’s Caolin Blade, Tom Daly and Paul Boyle, Leinster’s Harry Byrne, Peter Dooley and Ross Molony and Munster duo Gavin Coombes and Fineen Wycherley in the squad.
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A specialist in hitting smaller guys hard and late. Serial cheap shot merchant who deserves more than the usual token sanction for such actions.
Go to commentsI like to see the Crusaders lose as much as the next non-Crusaders fan, but the fact that most of their best players have not been available this year is being hand waved away like it shouldn’t effect them. It’s no coincidence that their first dominant performance came when they had more of their best players back. This is not rocket science. If they can stay fit their team at the business end of the season will include Tamaiti Williams, Codie Taylor, Fletcher Newell, Scott Barrett, Quentin Strange, Ethan Blackadder and Cullen Grace in the forwards - most of whom have barely, or not played this year. That is an outstanding pack that have not played together this season. McLeod, Havili, Aumua, Reece, and Halfpenny will be a very different prospect behind their first choice pack as well. Having said all that Penney’s record is scratchy at best, but given the players that have left and their injury list I’m reserving judgement. Penney’s appointment, a bit like Foz, has a similar stench of the incumbent having too much say in his replacement. They are lacking a truly high quality and experienced 10 which will make it hard for them to go the whole way IMO, but the list of teams who would want to play them in the finals will be very short.
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