Rugby:Ireland scrumhalf Tomás O'Leary has been ruled out of the England game after suffering an eye injury during a "supplementary fitness session" with the squad today.
O’Leary, who has missed Ireland’s last two games with a back injury, “was undergoing speed training with a sled when one of the straps failed, recoiled and struck him in the left eye,” an IRFU statement read this afternoon.
"This caused a bleed within the eye which affected his vision. The bleeding has now stabilised and following an ophthalmology review it is anticipated that this will continue to improve. The situation will be reviewed on Friday and the current estimation is that O’Leary will be at least two-three weeks out of training while the condition settles.”
O’Leary trained this morning and may well have been reinstated for the England game had he recovered from his back injury sufficiently, with many of the opinion his strength would be crucial in the bid to prevent England securing a Grand Slam.
With Leinster’s Eoin Reddan still doubtful having suffered concussion in the first minute of the defeat to Wales, Munster’s Peter Stringer may be in line for a rare start under Declan Kidney.
There has been no mention yet of cover for O’Leary or Reddan being called up. The latter’s provincial team-mate Isaac Boss would be the obvious option should management see fit.
Meanwhile, Seán O’Brien and Ronan O’Gara have been named on the 12-man shortlist for Player of the Tournament ahead of the final round of fixtures this weekend.
Both won man-of-the-match awards against Italy and Scotland respectively but are unlikely to trump one of the English quartet nominated.
England will face Ireland at Lansdowne Road this weekend, looking for their fifth consecutive win and a Grand Slam. Free-scoring wing Chris Ashton, outhalf Toby Flood, flanker James Haskell and Tom Palmer were all nominated.
The shortlist also includes French captain Thierry Dusautoir and his team-mate Maxime Medard, the Welsh duo of Sam Warburton and James Hook and Italians Fabio Semenzato and Andrea Masi.
There are no Scottish players nominated.
