RUGBY:IRELAND COACH Declan Kidney has been hit by a further injury setback prior to the Six Nations with the news that Andrew Trimble will miss the opening match against Italy on Saturday week. The Ulster centre/wing broke a bone in his right hand in the province's Heineken Cup victory over Aironi last Saturday.
An X-ray yesterday confirmed the damage, a broken metacarpal, and a more definitive diagnosis on how long it will keep him sidelined will be available after he consults a specialist during the week.
Trimble joins Rob Kearney and Geordan Murphy on the sideline and Kidney will be hoping for better news when the extent of knee injuries to Tommy Bowe and Stephen Ferris is revealed at lunch-time today.
Leinster have announced the signing of hooker Seán Cronin from Connacht next season but suggestions that Fionn Carr is returning to his home province have been quashed. Leinster confirmed yesterday they are not seeking to re-sign Carr. Connacht have already publicly accepted the prolific try-scoring winger is leaving this summer along with Cronin and the Munster-bound Ian Keatley.
“We made an offer but Fionn said he was moving on,” said Connacht Branch chief executive Gerry Kelly. “We are not aware if he has signed anywhere yet.”
Carr is represented by Big Red management company, who also look after England captain Lewis Moody, Scottish coach Andy Robinson and Wales centre Jamie Roberts. Big Red confirmed Carr is currently “weighing up offers from other clubs”.
The 25-year-old joined Connacht three seasons ago having failed to break into the Leinster team despite some outstanding displays for Blackrock in the All-Ireland League. This form was transferred to the Magners League but a national call-up never followed.
There is a vacancy at fullback in the Ireland A squad to play Scotland on Friday, with either Gavin Duffy or Luke Fitzgerald expected to drop down from the Ireland camp for some game time in the position. Denis Hurley, Johne Murphy and Fergus McFadden are the other back three options.
The 24 year-old Cronin joins his third Irish province – the Limerick native came through the Munster Academy before joining Connacht in 2008.
The premature retirements of John Fogarty and Bernard Jackman last season meant Leinster have been actively seeking a hooker. The incumbent Leinster number two is South African-born Richardt Strauss, who becomes eligible for Ireland on residency grounds in 2012.
Meanwhile, it has also become apparent a third high profile Leinster player, Rob Kearney, remains in negotiations with the IRFU over a new contract. Currently recovering from a knee operation, Kearney, represented by his father David, is seeking to agree new terms with the union before his contract runs out next season.
Leinster chief executive Mick Dawson is hopeful Kearney, Jonathan Sexton and Jamie Heaslip can be re-signed before the resumption of European action in April. “I would be very disappointed if it is not sorted out before the Heineken Cup quarter-final,” Dawson said yesterday.
Speaking on Setanta’s iTalkSport show last Friday, Heaslip said: “I don’t want to speak for Jonny (Sexton) but it is pretty similar, we both think highly of Leinster and Ireland and we think Leinster is definitely an organisation that is going places, that is going to be a very strong organisation going forward in years to come and we would like to stay around.”
Heaslip is still recuperating from a bruised bone and damaged ligaments in his ankle, initially sustained last December away to ASM Clermont Auvergne. The Lions number eight saw a specialist yesterday and remains doubtful for Ireland’s opening Six Nations match against Italy on Saturday week.
