Reggie Corrigan has been ruled out of the remainder of Ireland's tour and will be replaced by Young Munster's Des Clohessy.
Since James Topping will also have to return home injured, the toll of the tour opener with Boland's bruisers has thus reached two (and in all probability three given Jonathan Bell's pulled hamstring), but the incident which will leave Corrigan sidelined for several months led to a less diplomatic tone from a clearly angry Warren Gatland.
Manager Donal Lenihan admitted that initially Corrigan's injury, sustained following a knee in the back by Boland's former Springbok tighthead Tommie Laubscher, was considered to be merely muscular. It has now been diagnosed as fractured transverse processes, small bones which come off the spine.
"He hasn't been responding to treatment so he went for an X-ray and the injury was far worse than we thought. He can't do anything for three months. It's a long-term problem and the rehabilitation is going to take a bit of time."
The Irish reviewed the incident on video, but citing of an opponent for foul play has to take place within 24 hours so Lenihan conceded that such a process is "irrelevant now". More pertinent at this point is the degree to which Ireland are protected by home officials in remaining tour games (Saturday's incident was in full view of and no more than 25 metres from one touch judge) and whether there will be any repeats.
Mindful of the South West District Eagles' even more abrasive reputation, Gatland made a point of saying: "We're just a little bit concerned, looking at the video, there were two incidents in the game in which there was a little bit of off-the-ball play.
"We're here to play rugby, we don't want to get involved in all that, but if we have to stick up for ourselves we're prepared to do that also. There are a couple of players, by all accounts, in this team (SW Districts) who have been cited a number of times for indiscretions on the field. We don't want any part of that, but that's a little bit of a concern."
Corrigan, arguably the find of the season, had made the number one jersey his own. He will be a big loss, and leaves Ireland with no other capped loose-head. "We're disappointed to lose a player who did so well for us in the Five Nations' championship," said Lenihan. "I feel sorry for him. It was his first overseas tour and he only played 40 minutes. He's very disappointed himself."
Corrigan and Topping will stay on until Sunday so as to see the Western Province game the day before. Bell may yet be departing with them. "It doesn't look hugely promising for him," admitted Lenihan.
Des Clohessy, the 24-year-old younger brother of the Irish tighthead Peter, and only converted from flanker to prop in the last year, links up with the squad in Cape Town tomorrow. He is very much a Gatlandesque selection - in the Andy Ward, Trevor Brennan, John Hayes mode - who wouldn't have been mapped until the latter stages of the season just completed.
After all, Brian Ashton hadn't attended one AIL game involving Shannon during his tenure as coach whereupon, in his first week succeeding Ashton, Gatland attended a Shannon-Young Munster derby and was immediately impressed by the younger Clohessy - even though he had been tactically substituted.
He's a strong boyo, bigger even than his brother; by no means the finished article and perhaps needing to become more professional and disciplined. But he's a serious rumbler around the fringes and can tackle big. There's a talent there which Gatland has identified and thus far that's been a fairly good imprimatur.
