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Ireland hit by injury double whammy
By Online Editors
Influential centre Garry Ringrose and stalwart lock Devin Toner will miss Ireland’s Guinness Six Nations clash in Scotland on Saturday due to injury.
Leinster midfielder Ringrose has picked up a hamstring complaint, while Toner aggravated an existing ankle problem in Saturday’s 32-20 Dublin defeat by England.
Wing Keith Earls appears to have proved his fitness after a hip concern by training on Tuesday, but Ireland must now face the Scots without three key operators, with CJ Stander already missing due to facial fractures.
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Ireland confirmed their mounting injury issues on Twitter, with head coach Joe Schmidt now facing a significant reshuffle of his resources.
“Update: Garry Ringrose and Devin Toner have been ruled out for the game against Scotland. Keith Earls trained today,” the Irish Rugby Football Union confirmed on social media.
The absence of Leinster lineout specialist Toner will prove the biggest miss to boss Schmidt and Ireland.
The 32-year-old has only missed six Test matches since Schmidt took the helm in November 2013, with the Kiwi coach drawing heavily on his set-piece acumen.
Ireland approached this year’s Six Nations appearing in a position of strength at lock, but were struck by injuries to Iain Henderson and Tadhg Beirne before the tournament even kicked off.
Ulsterman Henderson’s finger problem and Munster star Beirne’s knee complaint thinned Ireland’s locking stocks and Toner’s absence will heavily test Schmidt’s squad depth.
Connacht’s Quinn Roux looks set to slot into Ireland’s second row alongside James Ryan then, with Ultan Dillane poised to take a seat on the bench.
Munster lock Billy Holland has also been added to Ireland’s squad this week as further cover.
Ringrose’s absence will tempt Schmidt into shifting Robbie Henshaw back into the centres, after the Leinster star struggled with his move to full-back in last weekend’s England loss.
Munster’s Chris Farrell and Ulster’s Will Addison are further midfield options for Schmidt, while Rob Kearney could return at full-back.
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Latest Comments
It is if he thinks he’s got hold of the ball and there is at least one other player between him and the ball carrier, which is why he has to reach around and over their heads. Not a deliberate action for me.
Go to commentsI understand, but England 30 years ago were a set piece focused kick heavy team not big on using backs.
Same as now.
South African sides from any period will have a big bunch of forwards smashing it up and a first five booting everything in their own half.
NZ until recently rarely if ever scrummed for penalties; the scrum is to attack from, broken play, not structured is what we’re after.
Same as now.
These are ways of playing very ingrained into the culture.
If you were in an English club team and were off to Fiji for a game against a club team you’d never heard of and had no footage of, how would you prepare?
For a forward dominated grind or would you assume they will throw the ball about because they are Fijian?
A Fiji way. An English way.
An Australian way depends on who you’ve scraped together that hasn’t been picked off by AFL or NRL, and that changes from generation to generation a lot of the time.
Actually, maybe that is their style. In fact, yes they have a style.
Nevermind. Fuggit I’ve typed it all out now.
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