IRELAND will be without number eight Eric Miller for their final match in the international championship at Murrayfield on Saturday week. It now looks virtually certain that out half Eric Elwood will also be ruled out by a medial ligament injury in his right knee.
Miller had to leave the field in the 12th minute of the match against England last Saturday. He was removed to hospital, but released on Saturday night. However, it was confirmed that he was concussed and, consequently, will not be able to play for three weeks - the mandatory period a player is not allowed to play after sustaining concussion.
Elwood, who stubbed his foot into the ground as he took a penalty in the fifth minute of the match last Saturday, may have a slight tear in the medial ligament. If that is confirmed, he will miss the match against Scotland and could face a protracted period out of the game.
Elwood had to leave the field last Saturday in the 26th minute and was clearly badly inhibited by the injury. The knee was sore yesterday and examination today will determine the extent of the injury. But the initial examination did not leave much cause for optimism. Apart from missing Ireland's next match, Elwood's injury is a severe blow to his club Lansdowne who currently lead the first division of the All Ireland League.
Ireland full back and captain Jim Staples also sustained a knee injury against England, but did not go off the field. It is not thought that his injury is as serious as Elwood's.
The Ireland manager, Pat Whelan, said that the team to meet Scotland will be selected next weekend and that the management and players will meet in Limerick next Monday, when all aspects of the performance against England will be discussed.
Meanwhile, despite stringent security and elaborate precautions, both the IRFU and the Garda have confirmed that between 600 and 1,000 people got onto the terraces at Lansdowne Road last Saturday with forged ground tickets that originated in England. The forgeries caused congestion both at entrances to the ground and on the north and south terraces.
Martin Murphy, the IRFU administrative officer, said yesterday: "The forgeries were discovered and we estimate that between 600 and 1,000 people got into the ground and onto the terraces with the forged tickets. That inevitably caused congestion.
"The IRFU, with the full co operation of the Garda, make every effort to stop this from happening. We have established that the tickets originated in England. They were an extremely professional job and even the security markings and features we have on tickets were incorporated in the forgeries."
