Rugby:Ireland captain Brian O'Driscoll has been ruled out of action for three months with an ankle injury, while hooker Rory Best will also miss this month's autumn international with a neck injury.
O’Driscoll rolled his ankle in Leinster’s 59-22 win over Cardiff Blues last weekend. The initial prognosis from both the province and the Ireland management was positive but the IRFU has now confirmed the centre will need surgery.
A statement this afternoon said “following further scans and specialist review by the Ireland medical team, it has been decided that the injury will require surgery to repair ligament damage, ruling out O'Driscoll from playing for eight to 12 weeks”.
That timeframe would also rule the veteran out of Leinster’s crucial Heineken Cup double-header against Clermont Auvergne in December and possibly the other pool games against Scarlets and Exeter in January, but it would have him back for the first Six Nations game of 2013 on February 2nd against Wales in the Millennium Stadium.
Best “sprained ligaments in his neck” in last Friday’s Ulster win over the Dragons and “will require a rest and rehabilitation period of between four to six weeks before a further assessment of the injury.”
His recuperation, therefore, will rule him out of the internationals against South Africa, Fiji and Argentina and perhaps offer an opportunity for Leinster’s South African hooker Richardt Strauss a chance to impress ahead of the Six Nations after he received his international clearance recently.
An adequate replacement for O’Driscoll may be more difficult to come by, but Munster’s Keith Earls, Leinster’s Fergus McFadden or one from the Ulster duo of Tommy Bowe or Darren Cave could be called upon.
Declan Kidney's options are already stretched by the loss of fullback Rob Kearney to a back problem. Earls and Bowe are both candidates to replace the Leinster man, but O'Driscoll's absence may change that.
Munster's Felix Jones, who is short of game time after recently returning from injury, is another option for the number 15 jersey, but he has yet to be called up to the squad.
Paul O'Connell will take the captaincy and it will be hoped he avoids injury given Best is third choice for the leadership duties.
