SIMON GEOGHEGAN'S career is now in jeopardy. (Cleoghegan (28), who has been capped 37 times, underwent operations last September to rectify problems with his two big toes. But after returning to the game in recent weeks Geoghegan is still having problems with the toes and unless these are rectified he has said that he will retire.

Initially he had intended to travel to San Diego to have the operations but they were performed in London. At that time he said that, if the operations were not a success, then his career could well be over. He had been encouraged by the success of similar operations performed on Alan Tait, the Scotland centre, who has been named in the Lions squad to tour South Africa, an honour Geoghegan would also have got but for fitness problems.

Out of the game since the operations until a few weeks ago, Geoghegan has played a few matches for Bath's second team. He, played for the senior side against The Army last Tuesday week and came on as a replacement in the league tie against West Hartlepool yesterday week. He had been named in the Lions 62 man preliminary squad which acted as a tremendous encouragement to him and he said last week - that he needed at least eight first team matches to regain full match fitness.

The Lions coach, Ian McGeechan, and manager Fran Cotton made no secret of their desire to have Geoghegan in the Lions touring party if he proved his fitness. However, after being chosen to play for Bath against Sale in the league match on Wednesday, Geoghegan withdrew from the side on Tuesday and that was a firm indication that all was not well. He notified Cotton of his withdrawal and that effectively ended his hopes of being fit for the [Lions tour and he was ruled out. His misfortune was Tony Underwood's good fortune and he got the place that had been designated for Geoghegan.

His recurring problems have bow added substance to the fears he expressed last September about his future playing career. He said yesterday: "I will have to go back and speak to the surgeon and maybe try something else, but if that does not work out, then I will have to hang up my boots. My main concern now has to be to try and get these feet right for the rest of my life."

Not alone have the problems with his feet cost Geoghegan a Lions tour, bill had he been fit and not chosen for that, it was hoped by Ireland manager Pat Whelan and coach Brian Ashton that if he did not go to South Africa, he would be available to travel to New Zealand with Ireland next month. That hope can now be abandoned. Geoghegan also missed Ireland's tour to New Zealand in 1992.

One of the best wings to play for Ireland, it is a striking tribute to his ability and the Lions management's anxiety to have him in South Africa that, despite the handful of matches he played in recent weeks he was still a leading contender for a place on the tour and they opted to give him every chance to prove his fitness.

A solicitor in London, Geoghegan moved from London Irish to Bath three years ago but he has been hit by recurring injury problems and played no more than a dozen matches for Bath. Brian Ashton, was coach to Bath during that time until his resignation last January. That was followed by Ashton's appointment as Ireland coach. Ashton has gone on record about his admiration for Geoghegan's ability. He believes that when fully fit Geoghegan is the best wing in these islands.

Geoghegan has been hit by a succession of injuries over the last three years that have cost him international appearances. He has had troublesome groin and calf muscle injuries and the problems have got progressively worse and now look like ending his career.

The last season in which he played in all four Five Nations' matches for Ireland was 1994. He played against England, Scotland and France in 1995 and in the World Cup that year and last season played in three of the four championship matches. His last appearance for Ireland was against England in Twickenham last season. It was in Twickenham that he scored perhaps the most memorable of his 11 tries for Ireland. That was in 1994.

He played for Ireland at under 25, B and student levels, and for Connacht at senior interprovincial level before the Exiles entered the interprovincial series and being based in England he subsequently played for The Exiles. He made his senior international debut against France in 1991. He made an immediate impact and that year scored tries against Wales, England and Scotland in the championship. He has been an automatic choice for Ireland since that debut in 1991 and the only occasions when he has not played have been because of unavailability.