Simon Easterby has been ruled out of Ireland's re-arranged Six Nations Championship game against Wales in the Millennium Stadium on Saturday week.
Llanelli yesterday confirmed that the Irish flanker sustained concussion when tackling Leicester's Lewis Moody in the Heineken Cup at Welford Road last Saturday and hence he will be out of action for an obligatory three-week period.
"I have seen the incident on video but I can't remember it actually happening," said Easterby. "Apparently my eyes were open and it looked like I was conscious but I didn't move my arms or legs when I was asked."
Sidelined for virtually the whole of last season with ruptured ankle ligaments, the 26-year-old had returned to the Irish side to win his eighth cap at Murrayfield.
Geordan Murphy, the Leicester winger who won his fifth cap against the Scots, is also expected to be ruled out due to the torn hamstring sustained in that game.
Arrangements for the Celtic League quarter-finals have been finalised. Ulster will host Neath at Ravenhill on Friday November 30th, (kick-off 7.05 p.m.) in a game which will be televised by BBC Northern Ireland. Also that night, Leinster will host Newport at Donnybrook, (7.35 p.m.) in a tie which will be televised by TG4.
On Saturday, December 1st, Connacht will entertain Glasgow at the Sportsground (2 p.m.) and Munster will host Llanelli (5.30 p.m.). TG4 will televise both games.
Two AIB League Division One games, Lansdowne v Blackrock and Young Munster v Garryowen, have been re-arranged for Wednesday, October 10th at 7.30 p.m. and Sunday October 7th at 3 p.m. respectively.
The IRFU-UTV Internet Mini Rugby Blitz will be held at Blackrock College grounds in Williamstown next Sunday. All told, 20 teams will represent the four provinces in an event which runs from 12.30 p.m. to 3 p.m. The event will be watched by some of the Irish squad who assemble later that day in Greystones.
