Sean O'Brien to have hip surgery... could be out till December

thomond2006

http://www.planetrugby.com/story/0,25883,3551_7842199,00.html

Very bad news for Ireland and Leinster. Article also says Dave Kearney and Rhys Ruddock face long layoffs.

fitz

GerM

Great opportunity for Dominic Ryan. Have to look at the silver lining. He should get a bucket load of game time now if he stays fit.

Concerned about the hip surgery though. From what I see, the hip is often quite a debilitating area that people struggle to shake injuries from.

Also an opportunity for POM to continue his run in the Irish side.

Podge_irl

D. Kearney and Ruddock being out is huge for the start of the season when the internationals aren't available. It leaves Leinster fairly threadbare and is unfortunate for both in what should be their real breakthrough seasons.

The SOB problem will be offset for Ireland if Ferris is fit, but he was really looking like a proper 7 against NZ and its a damn shame he can't continue on in that vein. Hopefully Ryan really makes a play rather then Jennings being relied on.

justsomebloke

the only saving grace is that the Clermont game will probably be game 3 and 4 so it gives him the maximum amount of recovery possible to come back for it. Bad time for Ruddock to be injured as this may have given him some game time.

Kearney is going to be a massive loss for Leinster though especially for the start of the season

durkadurka

Back line for early HEC games:

Reddan
Sexton

Nacewa
Dorce
BOD
Ferg

R Kearney


Carr on the bench. Getting a bit thin on the ground..


Back row:

Locky
Jennings
Heaslip

Ryan on bench.

Tox56

If the Irish management knew about this, did they really have to bring him to NZ?

Tox56

Considering the season just gone....

Tox56 wrote: »

If the Irish management knew about this, did they really have to bring any of them to NZ?

mikedragon32

Tox56 wrote: »

If the Irish management knew about this, did they really have to bring him to NZ?

This is a decision which would have involved, Sean himself and Leinster/Ireland managagement. Given the choice: surgery and miss NZ or NZ then surgery, I know which I'd choose! If it was critical/career threatening, he wouldn't have travelled.

totallegend

Tox56 wrote: »

If the Irish management knew about this, did they really have to bring him to NZ?

On the assumption that playing him in NZ wasn't going to make it worse, it's probably fair enough that they brought him. Seeing as how DK discarded the notion of squad development and looking at different players a long time ago, there was no way in hell he wasn't going to pick his best openside.

The IRFU attitiude would have been, let's play him in NZ, operate when we get home and Leinster will take the brunt, so it's grand (which you can understand).

But, if O'Brien was carrying a knock, why the f**k did Kidney not rotate his backrow a bit more? Chris Henry is sitting there twiddling his thumbs and we're flogging an injured O'Brien like a rented donkey. Just another indication of the utter incompetence of the man.

backawaygo onahead

Not good news, not sure if its exactly the same thing but it was the hip area that ended the promising career of young David Pollock at Ulster.

GerM

backawaygo onahead wrote: »

Not good news, not sure if its exactly the same thing but it was the hip area that ended the promising career of young David Pollock at Ulster.

Also Leamy and Dowling. Seems to be a tricky area to manage.

Swiwi

GerM wrote: »

Also Leamy and Dowling. Seems to be a tricky area to manage.

Has ruled out Isaia Toeava all season in NZ.

irishbucsfan

Luckily there is a lot of depth in the back row and back 3 for Leinster.

Back row for the early Rabo games will be from Ryan, Jennings, Auva'a and Murphy with others in the academy like Ben Marshall.

Back 3 for the early games will be from the likes of Carr, Conway, Nacewa with Hudson, Coghlan-Murray etc. in the academy to cover.

Good opportunity for some lads. Squad getting really pushed though

totallegend

irishbucsfan wrote: »

Luckily there is a lot of depth in the back row and back 3 for Leinster.

Back row for the early Rabo games will be from Ryan, Jennings, Auva'a and Murphy with others in the academy like Ben Marshall.

Back 3 for the early games will be from the likes of Carr, Conway, Nacewa with Hudson, Coghlan-Murray etc. in the academy to cover.

Good opportunity for some lads. Squad getting really pushed though

Absolutely. Trying to piece together a squad without Healy, Ross, Heaslip, O'Brien, Reddan, Sexton, Luke, D'Arcy, BOD and both Kearneys will be good craic alright. Will Cronin, McFadden and McLaughlin also be forced to sit out the opening rounds?

A team of:

Nacewa
Carr
O'Malley
Macken
Conway
Madigan
Boss
VDM
Strauss
Hagan
Toner
Browne/Cullen
Ryan
Jennings
Auva'a

should be pretty competitive in the Rabo anyway. A couple more injuries and we're in trouble though.

ongarite

The injuries are really stacking up now, seems like Munster are have gotten through their bad patch and now its Leinster's turn.

justsomebloke

totallegend wrote: »

Will Cronin, McFadden and McLaughlin also be forced to sit out the opening rounds?

Of the Rabo? yes. Even if they weren't playing they would have been training so their bodies will need a bit of rest also

Quint2010

thomond2006 wrote: »

http://www.planetrugby.com/story/0,25883,3551_7842199,00.html

Very bad news for Ireland and Leinster. Article also says Dave Kearney and Rhys Ruddock face long layoffs.

I think the phrase rhymes with "clucking bell"..

TheKeenMachine

As long as the injury isn't career threatening, it's probably a blessing in disguise for SOB. He's had a 51 week season, and deserves a rest more than any other player after that summer tour. It aslo gives Dominic Ryan a chance to play regularly. I've said it a thousand times, Dippy will be world class if he gets a proper chance with Leinster.

desertcircus

TheKeenMachine wrote: »

As long as the injury isn't career threatening, it's probably a blessing in disguise for SOB. He's had a 51 week season, and deserves a rest more than any other player after that summer tour. It aslo gives Dominic Ryan a chance to play regularly. I've said it a thousand times, Dippy will be world class if he gets a proper chance with Leinster.

He was desperately unlucky to get injured when he did last year; it cost him a huge amount of gametime when he was looking ready to break through. This time last year he was being talked about as a potential longterm Ireland seven. Hopefully he gets plenty of gametime; his cameo in 2010 was little short of phenomenal, and if he gets anywhere near that level Leinster will be laughing.

Tox56

Please, PLEASE let Conway survive more than 2 games without injury. This is a huge opportunity for him, and everyone is aware how good he could be.

If he gets an injury-free season he could find his way into a few HEC matchday squads, if he has a good cameo or two his career could take off. A good few Rabo games and he could have a Madigan-esque season. Limitless potential and hopefully he can finally start to build on it.

Leinster back three is a competitive area, and he probably won't get a better chance than this.

Hagz

Tox56 wrote: »

Please, PLEASE let Conway survive more than 2 games without injury. This is a huge opportunity for him, and everyone is aware how good he could be.

THIS. The kid is guaranteed a crap load of games this season if he can stay injury free. Please God.

shuffol

totallegend wrote: »

On the assumption that playing him in NZ wasn't going to make it worse, it's probably fair enough that they brought him. Seeing as how DK discarded the notion of squad development and looking at different players a long time ago, there was no way in hell he wasn't going to pick his best openside.

The IRFU attitiude would have been, let's play him in NZ, operate when we get home and Leinster will take the brunt, so it's grand (which you can understand).

But, if O'Brien was carrying a knock, why the f**k did Kidney not rotate his backrow a bit more? Chris Henry is sitting there twiddling his thumbs and we're flogging an injured O'Brien like a rented donkey. Just another indication of the utter incompetence of the man.

Agree, they were obviously aware of the injury in advance as well as the recovery time. Seeing as its likely O'Brien will be out of the AI's you'd assume that the sensible thing to do would have been to give some gametime at 7 to the 2nd best openside in the country. Right now our first choice backrows going into the AI's will be Ferris/POM/Heaslip. Ferris is a perennial injury doubt and I think the NZ tests showed that POM still lacks power at this level, I certainly wouldn't be comfortable with him starting against S.A.

phog

Tough blow for SOB, a hip injury for a player like him must be a concern, especially having seen Leamy retire for something similar.

Cpt_Blackbeard

Hip injuries really make me nervous after the retirements of Dowling and Leamy. Its even worse as SOB looks to be following the same path which Leamy went down: Both had a hip injury which seriously impeded their ability to train. Both continued to play through the pain barrier for a period of time, despite it being abundantly clear that their injury was seriously affecting their carrying ability.

Hopefully its nothing serious for SOB and he just gets a well deserved break.

ScareGilly

In fairness, as well as this being good for Dom... It'll be brilliant for the younger players like Jordi Murphy, Jordan Coughlan and others to grab some gametime for Leinster, they should get plenty of time with the A's this year and maybe a few games in the Rabo..

molloyjh

irishbucsfan wrote: »

Squad getting really pushed though

Sure it was worse at the start of last season. I remember at one stage between the RWC and injuries we were missing about 20 players. There were 13 at the RWC and the likes of Ryan, McLaughlin, Shaggy, Berquist and Conway out. Never mind the Sykes Situation. We were also missing Sheridan (who was getting a run out in the pre-season so may have been in the running while the RWC was on) and Tom Sexton.

We still won 4 of our first 6 while the internationals were away. Ryan will hopefully remain fit and I've was happy enough with Jordi the few times I've seen him. As for the wings, we've still got Carr and Conway there. Hudson too has impressed. We really need these lads to remain injury free though. And Isa at FB too!

bleg

3 players with hip operations the same year as another player retires due to hip injury... hmm. What's going on?

Were all other players screened after Leamy's retirement I wonder.

GerM

Still capable of putting out a side for our opening game along the lines of:

1. VdM 2. Strauss 3. Bent/Hagan 4. AN Other (signing to come) 5. Toner 6. Ryan 7. Jennings 8. Auva'a 9. Boss 10. Madigan 11. Carr 12. Noel Reid 13. Macken 14. Conway 15. Nacewa

That's a fairly capable side for Pro12 level. I also expect that we'll see a couple of players released sooner than the standard 10 week rest time as we've seen in some cases in the past.

Tox56

GerM wrote: »

Still capable of putting out a side for our opening game along the lines of:

1. VdM 2. Strauss 3. Bent/Hagan 4. AN Other (signing to come) 5. Toner 6. Ryan 7. Jennings 8. Auva'a 9. Boss 10. Madigan 11. Carr 12. Noel Reid 13. Macken 14. Conway 15. Nacewa

That's a fairly capable side for Pro12 level. I also expect that we'll see a couple of players released sooner than the standard 10 week rest time as we've seen in some cases in the past.

Still room to see some other young players not in that team, like Flanagan in the second row, O'Shea at 12, McGrath at LH, Moore at TH, Cooney at Scrum-half etc.

Having said that, I wouldn't want too many more injuries..