Joey Carbey's cruel injury run has suffered yet another damaging setback

Joey Carbery’s cruel catalogue of injury has had another addition, an ankle problem that required surgery following a visit to a specialist last week. 

The Munster and Ireland out-half had been out of the game since the start of January following surgery for a wrist injury, but this latest operation could well bring his injury-hit season to a premature end. 

It was last August when his participation at the World Cup in Japan was threatened when he suffered an ankle injury during the warm-up win over Italy in Dublin. 

He eventually made it back to play a part in some matches at the finals off the bench. However, no sooner had he returned from the Far East was he ruled out as it emerged he had been managing the existing injury during the finals. 

It wasn’t until a December 28 Guinness PRO14 match versus Leinster that he finally managed to get back on the pitch for his province as a sub, but an injury the following week versus Ulster in what was his first start since the previous May left him sidelined yet again.

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It was summer 2018 when Carbery first arrived in Limerick with the hope of establishing himself as first-choice out-half and ensuring he would be next in line to take over at international level from Johnny Sexton. 

However, that ambition hasn’t worked out well for the 24-year-old as he has started just 15 times for the club.   

An injury bulletin released on Tuesday by Munster read: “While rehabbing from his current wrist injury, Joey Carbery attended an ankle specialist last week who advised a further surgery. 

“As Carbery is already undergoing rehabilitation for a wrist injury, it was decided to go ahead with the elective procedure on his ankle.”

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