With Luke Fitzgerald now set to miss the rest of the season – including the Heineken Cup final – with a recurrence of his neck injury, Joe Schmidt yesterday commented on the winger’s upcoming surgery and lamented his loss, writes Gavin Cummiskey.

“I know that if he felt capable of playing on he would,” said Schimdt. “He went down at one stage against Clermont with a stinger. I think it is a recurrence of the injury [that sidelined him from December to March]. He doesn’t feel he can contribute fully and he knows the sooner he gets it done the sooner he can get his rest period in and his rehabilitation period in.”