Warren Gatland’s injury problems mounted today with the news that three more members of his squad could miss Ireland’s opening Six Nations game against Italy.
The Ireland coach faces the possibility of travelling to Rome for the February 3rd match without the services of Brian O’Driscoll, Paul Wallace and South African-born Shaun Payne.
O’Driscoll will be Gatland’s major concern. The Blackrock man injured his shoulder in Leinster’s 30-10 defeat to Biarritz on Saturday night. The productive centre needed the comfort of an ice pack on his shoulder after the game and left the ground in a sling.
Prop forward, Paul Wallace, suffered a broken ankle in Ulster’s 21-13 defeat to Saracens on Friday night and will be sidelined for three months. The injury appears to have put paid to his chances of making the British and Irish Lions squad for the tour of Australia this summer.
Shaun Payne suffered a facial injury at the weekend playing for Swansea against Stade Francais.
Denis Hickie, Simon Easterby, Kieron Dawson and Eric Miller are long term injury victims and are ruled out for at least another two months.