Though speculation concerning Eric Miller's future has mounted, the Irish and Lions number eight's position remains surprisingly static. The 22-year-old is effectively in limbo, eager as he is to leave Leicester, but with three years of a four-year contract to run and his employers either unable or unwilling to place a transfer fee on his head.
A report in yesterday's Daily Mail placed Miller's evaluation at "six figures" but in response to this claim the player's agent, John Baker, reiterated that the situation at Welford Road "has not changed. Leicester have not placed any transfer on Eric yet."
Given Pat Lam was reported to have moved from English champions Newcastle to Northampton during the close-season for £100,000, and the Samoan flanker was widely regarded as the most influential player of the season in the English club game, Miller's valuation in the current hard-pressed climate would have to be a great deal less than that.
Miller was also quoted as citing "personal matters" and "the playing side" in confirming his decision to seek an alternative club but, similarly, Baker maintained that his player is not speaking to the media.
Meanwhile, Mark McCall faces a worrying 24 hours in advance of an appointment with a neuro-surgeon in Belfast after an MRI scan had revealed a problem in his neck, resulting in the weakness in his left arm which forced the Ulster captain and incumbent Irish centre to miss last Friday's Guinness Interprovincial win over Munster.
Only after further studies on the MRI scan and his examination today will McCall know the full extent of the injury. "Either it will settle itself down or it could be more serious. I can't really use my left arm at the moment and it is a bit worrying." Encouragingly though, McCall experienced an increase in strength in his arm over the weekend, which he interprets as "a positive sign".
The 30-year-old centre first began feeling some soreness in his neck before the Connacht game, and played through both that interprovincial and the friendly against Glasgow Caledonians, towards the end of which he fell awkwardly on his shoulder. "That was the catalyst. But somebody else had it before and it cleared up within three weeks. Either that will happen, or I may have to have surgery. But I definitely won't be playing against Leinster at the weekend," he said.
Indeed, due to the surfeit of injuries four weeks into the new season, none of the provinces are likely to announce their sides before tomorrow for this weekend's fourth round of matches in the six-game series - Ulster entertain Leinster on Friday evening and Munster play host to Connacht at Dooradoyle on Saturday afternoon, with the opening round of the European competitions following a week later.
McCall's centre partner at the outset of the season, Stanley McDowell, is also struggling to make himself available this weekend due to his hamstring strain, although the makeshift Jonathan Bell-Jan Cunningham partnership acquitted themselves ably last Friday against Munster.
The latter have been boosted by the return to training of Eddie Halvey and with Alan Quinlan and David Corkery also inching their way back to full fitness, Munster could have a full-strength squad to pick from save for long-term casualty Rhys Ellison. The sorely missed Kiwi centre is still on target for a return to action in about three or four weeks, - for Munster's second European Cup game at home to Neath or if not then the subsequent game away to Perpignan on October 10th.
Their opponents are encouraged by Eric Elwood's equally strong recovery from a knee injury and a return to action within a similar time span, as well as their strong showing against Glasgow last Friday which marked a 30-minute comeback for Conor McGuinness.
However, their number eight Barry Gavin remains in hospital following the infection he picked up arising from a cut knee which he sustained in the defeat to Leinster at Donnybrook last Friday week. The unfortunate Gavin is certain to miss Saturday's game. Furthermore, no sooner had his customary back-row partner Junior Charlie recovered from the ankle injury which has ruled him out of Connacht's last three games, than the Kiwi flanker contracted flu.
Leinster will name a squad for their top-of-the-table clash tomorrow but will probably only finalise their starting XV on the day of the match. Amongst the current wounded are Pat Ward (hamstring), Victor Costello, Trevor Brennan (chest infection), Martin Ridge (head injury), Derek Hegarty (knee), David O'Mahony (shoulder) and Denis Hickie (hand).
The Leinster under-20s take on the Canadian under-21s in Donnybrook tomorrow evening. One of the crop of young Leinster centres climbing the representative ladder, Shane Moore - who led Ireland to the FIRA (U-19) World Cup title earlier this year - will captain the side and will be partnered by former Irish youth international out-half Mark McHugh.
This accommodates the inclusion of the elusive and inventive former Belvedere and Irish Schools out-half Andrew Dunne, now with UCD. He will be partnered by Ciaran Scally, who made his senior debut last Friday for Leinster as a replacement in the win over Edinburgh Reivers.
