Rugby:In the latest cruel twist in an increasingly injury ravaged career, Jerry Flannery has been forced out of the remainder of the World Cup. As so often in the past, it is the hooker's calves that have proved to be the problem with the 32-year-old suffering a new tear in training today.
The Irish medics expect Flannery to be out of action for around six weeks. Given his history of calf problems, however, this new setback is obviously a huge concern for player and medical staff alike.
Flannery has been beset by injuries, mostly to his calves, ever since rupturing his shoulder in training with the British & Irish Lions squad ahead of the 2009 tour to South Africa which robbed him of a certain test place. He made just five starts for Munster that season and was limited to just two more abortive comeback games for his province during the 2010-11 campaign.
Having featured in Ireland’s first three warm-up games, Flannery started against England at the end of August, his first test start since February 2010, and came off the bench against the USA in New Plymouth last weekend. Now the Shannon man is now set for another lengthy spell in the treatment room.
“Obviously it is particularly disappointing for Jerry to have suffered this injury at this point in the tournament,” team manager Paul McNaughton today. “With the fact that he is out for four to six weeks, we needed to make the decision to fly Damien Varley down as soon as possible.
"Sean Cronin will step into the replacements seamlessly this weekend which shows the importance of having experience and depth in the squad.”
As Declan Kidney noted when David Wallace ruptured knee ligaments at the end of August, professional sport is a cutthroat business and Flannery’s misfortune has opened the door for his provincial teammate Varley who will join up with the squad this weekend. Sean Cronin will take Flannery’s place on the bench for Saturday’s showdown with Australia.
Ireland(v Australia): R Kearney Lansdowne/Leinster); T Bowe (Ospreys), B O'Driscoll (UCD/Leinster, capt), G D'Arcy (Lansdowne/Leinster), K Earls (Young Munster/Munster); J Sexton (St Mary's College/Leinster), E Reddan (Lansdowne/Leinster); C Healy (Clontarf/Leinster), R Best (Banbridge/Ulster), M Ross (Clontarf/Leinster), D O'Callaghan (Cork Constitution/Munster), P O'Connell (Young Munster/Munster), S Ferris (Dungannon/Ulster), S O'Brien (Clontarf/Leinster), J Heaslip (Naas/Leinster). Replacements:S Cronin (Leinster), T Court (Malone/Ulster), D Ryan (Shannon/Munster), D Leamy (Cork Constitution/Munster), C Murray (Garryowen/Munster), R O'Gara (Cork Constitution/Munster), A Trimble (Ballymena/Ulster).
