Keith Wood has reiterated he will have to line out for Harlequins this weekend if he is to lead Ireland against Wales in the Six Nations on Sunday week, and in the process dropped the broadest hint yet that his torn calf muscle will rule him out of the Lansdowne Road match.
Wood hasn't played since sustaining the injury in a cup tie against Sale on December 15th and admits he'll have to play in Harlequins' Premiership clash with Northampton on Saturday.
"There is no point going into an international not having played for six or seven weeks," he said, reiterating his comments made in Limerick last week. "I would be no value to anyone and I'd rather miss it than play badly." Wood has resumed light training but is a couple of weeks behind his scheduled return, and concedes the injury has been frustratingly slow to heal.
"I've started running which is the main thing, normally you can take things from there. The injury proved a lot worse than I initially thought. I tore the calf and there was a lot of blood. It's not been resolved yet and nothing is set in stone. I've spoken to (Ireland coach) Eddie O'Sullivan but I don't know if I'll be fit."
O'Sullivan will equally be hopeful Peter Stringer is passed fit to make his comeback for Munster in Saturday's Heineken Cup quarter-final away to Stade Francais. Similarly, Stringer hasn't played since the Celtic League semi-final against Ulster on December 8th, when he fractured a bone in his heel. He resumed light training last week without any reaction.
Munster's only other concern is Anthony Horgan, but team manager Jerry Holland expressed the hope the left winger will resume training tomorrow, when the team will be picked.
Meanwhile, with Shane Horgan and Brian O'Meara ruled out, Leinster will await the progress of Victor Costello, Reggie Corrigan and Malcolm O'Kelly before finalising their line-up on Thursday to face Leicester at Welford Road on Sunday next. Costello and Corrigan took part in yesterday's non-contact work but O'Kelly, whose damaged cheekbone must be their biggest source of concern, did not.
Meanwhile Castres have appealed against the ERC's decision to suspend Ismaela Lassissi for one year after the 32-year-old back rower was found guilty of biting Peter Clohessy. Castres sporting director Jacques Cauquil commented: "We have put together a medical file which will show the sincerity of Ismaela Lassissi, who is claiming his innocence."
Castres coach Remi Tremoulet had earlier admitted the loss of Lassissi would hit his team hard. He told L'Equipe: "This incident affected us a lot and we will try to take a positive motivation out of it. But we should not hide the fact that Lassissi's absence from the club will have a very negative effect. Having to do without a player like him will be very difficult for us."
