RUGBY:DAVID POLLOCK'S retirement from professional rugby, aged just 23, due to a recurring hip injury brings the number of Irish contracted players forced out of the game this season to four.
Leinster frontrowers John Fogarty (head) and Ronan McCormack (neck) were joined last week by Connacht’s English-capped prop Robbie Morris (back).
Pollock was a rare breed in Irish rugby: a natural openside wing forward. Ulster operations director David Humphreys stated yesterday that he was “ear-marked from an early age as a future Ulster captain”. This became evident when he led the 2007 Irish under-20s to the Grand Slam. Three of that side – Cian Healy, Keith Earls and Ian Keatley – have been capped by Ireland at senior level, while an impressive 14 of the 22-man squad are still on professional contracts in either Ireland or Britain.
Having captained Ireland at under-19 and under-21 in 2006, Pollock went on to win five caps for Ireland A and made 45 appearances for Ulster before injury stymied his progress these past 18 months. “It is with great sadness that I announce my early retirement from rugby,” said Pollock yesterday. “Whilst it was always my intention to resume my (medical) studies at Queen’s, I never intended it to be quite so soon. My hip injury, however, has not resolved and I have been advised I am no longer able to achieve the level of fitness required to play professional rugby.”
Humphreys added: “David’s injury problems in recent years means that we only saw glimpses of his talent in the Ulster shirt. His retirement is a huge loss for Ulster rugby but fortunately for David, he has a long-term future mapped out in the medical profession and a new challenge awaits him away from rugby.”
Ulster’s South African second row Johann Muller is expected to recover from the neck injury sustained against Cardiff ahead of the Heineken Cup match against Bath at Ravenhill on December 11th.
Leinster coach Joe Schmidt remains hopeful that Luke Fitzgerald will be available for round four of the Heineken Cup at home to Clermont Auvergne on December 18th. Connacht head to Edinburgh without their first-choice hookers as Adrian Flavin has a broken thumb and Seán Cronin is in the Irish camp meaning Dermot Murphy will again start with Ronan Loughney, a prop, providing cover.
