When Conor O'Shea dislocated his ankle playing for London Irish at Gloucester on Saturday, it supported a case for wrapping in cotton wool former, current and wannabe full backs on the Ireland team. O'Shea will be out of action for up to 10 weeks, a month longer than Girvan Dempsey. The Terenure College full back damaged ankle ligaments in Ireland's recent defeat by South Africa at Lansdowne Road and could reasonably claim to be the most unfortunate Irish player in the last 12 months given his litany of injury - Jeremy Davidson finishes a close second.

Lansdowne full back Gordon D'Arcy sprained an ankle while on duty for the Irish under-21s against the New Zealand youths recently, while Peter McKenna was injured before, during and after his sole senior cap against Argentina on the summer tour and is now recovering from an Achilles tendon strain.

Leicester's Geordan Murphy has had his share of the treatment table in the last six months, suggesting that there is something of a jinx on those who have worn the Ireland number 15 jersey over the last few years.