RUGBY NEWSGORDON D'ARCY will not be available for Ireland's game against the Barbarians or their two summer Test matches against New Zealand and Australia. The Leinster centre underwent surgery on his broken arm for a second time last Friday and won't return to the training pitch until pre-season with his province.
The full extent of the damage suffered by D'Arcy in the Six Nations clash with Italy at Croke Park was not divulged but he broke the arm in seven places, necessitating the insertion of a six-inch titanium plate, held in place by nine screws, in the forearm.
The reason for the second operation last weekend was that one break was reluctant to knit properly so the surgeon grafted a sliver of bone from D'Arcy's elbow - it's about the length of the nail of a little finger - to the damaged area, removing one of the screws in the process.
D'Arcy will return to the see the specialist today to ascertain how the graft has knitted and receive treatment that will stimulate blood flow and thereby speed rehabilitation. If the operation is a success the recovery time is about a month.
It means the player will have enjoyed a seven-month sabbatical from contact work, from which he should benefit by the time he returns to pre-season training.
Ideally he would like to be playing but at this point it seems more important to come back right . . . rather than right now.
D'Arcy did not attend Leinster's Magners League coronation at the RDS last Saturday because of his surgery 24 hours earlier and, much to his amusement, received texts from team-mates wondering where he was.
He will be joined at Leinster next season by the Harlequins and former Ireland underage and A international Simon Keogh, who has confirmed his return to Dublin.
The 28-year-old wing-cum-scrumhalf is returning to his native province on a two-year deal.
Those looking for confirmation the Springbok CJ van der Linde could be on his way to Leinster may have to wait until after the Tri-Nations Championship.
Meanwhile, Connacht have also been active in the area of recruitment, signing two young Leinster Academy products in Fionn Carr and Ian Keatley and the Cork-born Ireland A scrumhalf Frank Murphy, who will leave the Leicester Tigers for Galway.
The 22-year-old Carr could play anywhere in the back line and is potentially one of the best young backs in the country. There are a few rough edges but he possesses the core attributes to thrive in professional rugby and, having signed what is believed to be a one-year deal, will be given the platform to do so at Connacht.
It will also be interesting to see in what position Michael Bradley and his assistant Eric Elwood want Carr to play next season.
Keatley (21) was the outhalf on Ireland's 2007 Under-20 Grand Slam-winning team. He played for Leinster A and Clontarf last season but did not make the impact expected of a player of his ability. There's no doubting his talent and, as with Carr, exposure to a higher level of rugby should pose the necessary challenge to accelerate his development.
Connacht CEO Gerry Kelly confirmed 26-year-old Murphy would compete alongside Kieran Campbell and Conor O'Loughlin for the number nine jersey next season.
"Frank Murphy will provide an experienced link between our forward pack and these young backs," he said. "With Frank, Conor O'Loughlin and Kieran Campbell we should have great competition for the scrumhalf berth and the ability to vary our game to all conditions and opposition." The province also announced the extension of their main sponsorship by Bank of Ireland for another three years.
Newport-Gwent Dragons beat the Ospreys 18-10 in last night's Magners League clash at Rodney Parade to qualify for next season's Heineken Cup ahead of Connacht.
WEEKEND FIXTURES: Friday: Magners League: Connacht v Ospreys, Sportsground (6.30); Dragons v Leinster, Rodney Parade (7:10); Ulster v Cardiff Blues, Ravenhill (7.30).
Saturday: Magners League: Munster v Glasgow, Musgrave Park (5.00); Llanelli Scarlets v Edinburgh, (5.30).
Sunday: AIB All-Ireland League: Division One final: Cork Constitution v Garryowen, Musgrave Park (1.15).
