With only 15 days to kick off, news of players’ status of recovery from injury is in the sports headlines – let’s hope there are no more nasty surprises on the lead up to the games. Be sure to pop back for updates!
Scotland
Scotland No.8 Johnnie Beattie and Warriors forward returned from five months out following shoulder surgery in last Saturday’s Magners League loss to Munster but is ineligible for rounds five and six of the Heineken Cup after Glasgow.
“We are delighted that Johnnie Beattie has recovered from the shoulder surgery he underwent last summer,” said a Glasgow Warriors spokesman.
“As our medical team state frequently, recovery from serious injury is not an exact science.
England
25/01/2011
England flanker Hendre Fourie has picked up yet another injury in Leeds’ Challenge Cup win over Bucuresti.Fourie is confident that he will recover from his calf injury in time to be fit for England’s RBS 6 Nations opener against Wales.
Yet having seen Moody’s injury to be much worse than first thought, Fourie knows not to count his chickens but has no regrets about playing in what was effectively a dead rubber.
“I am confident it’s just tightness,” said Fourie. “Maybe I should have come off earlier. It doesn’t feel too bad but you never know until the swelling goes down.
20/10/2011
England Boss Martin Johnson’s plans for RBS 6 Nations were further rocked after captain Lewis Moody was ruled out for up to six weeks with a knee injury.
Having already lost lock Courtney Lawes and flanker Tom Croft, Johnson could now be without his skipper for England’s first three matches against Wales, Italy and France.
Although both Moody and Bath head coach coach Steve Meehan initially played down fears the open side would be sidelined for a significant period after the Heineken Cup win over Aironi, it has now emerged he has damaged his medial collateral ligament.
Bath confirmed on Tuesday that he had suffered an injury to the medial collateral ligament after twisting his knee.
France
No injuries to report at this time.
Ireland
25/01/2011
Ulster wing Andrew Trimble is facing a fight to play any part in Ireland’s RBS 6 Nations campaign after breaking his hand in the Heineken Cup thrashing of Aironi.But for Trimble history came as a price and a post-game X-ray confirmed he had broken a metacarpal in his hand which will almost certainly rule him out of Ireland’s opening two games with Italy and France.
“Trimble picked up the injury during the Heineken Cup match at the weekend playing for Ulster against Aironi and, following an X-ray, it was found that he had broken a metacarpal in his hand,” said a team spokesman.
“This will definitely keep him out of the Italy game and he will have a specialist review this week to determine how long he will be unable to play for.”
Four weeks is likely to be the minimum Trimble will spend on the sidelines while former Ulster winger Tommy Bowe is also battling to be fit after injuring his knee, a fate that has also befallen back row Stephen Ferris.
19/01/2011
Coach Declan Kidney is still sweating on the fitness of No.8 Jamie Heaslip ahead of the Ireland squad announcement for the RBS 6 Nations.The 27-year-old has yet to recover from an ankle injury he suffered in the 20-13 defeat at Clermont Auvergne on December 12 and missed the 43-20 win over Saracens on Saturday.
Heaslip could line up against Racing Metro 92 in Paris on Thursday but it will come too late for Kidney who will likely name the British and Irish Lion in his squad on Wednesday and keep his fingers crossed the ankle repairs itself in time for Ireland’s trip to Italy.
Wales
21/01/2011
Wales prop Adam Jones has been ruled out for up to eight weeks – leaving coach Warren Gatland with yet another selection headache to contend with.Ospresy physio Chris Towers said: “The scans have confirmed our suspicion of significant ligament damage.
e and soft tissue trauma to the left elbow.As well as Jones and Jenkins, Gatland is also without centre Tom Shanklin and scrum-half Richie Rees with long-term injuries.
Meanwhile the returning Gavin Henson and Andrew Bishop are both extremely doubtful for the tournament opener against England on February 4 at the Millennium Stadium.
19/01/2011
Wales centre Tom Shanklin has been ruled out of the entire RBS 6 Nations campaign – leaving boss Warren Gatland with yet another headache ahead of their opening showdown with England on February 4.
Gatland was already heading into the 2011 Six Nations campaign with his position under pressure after Wales failed to win any of their autumn internationals – a 16-16 draw with Fiji the embarrassing highlight.
Things have gone from bad to worse recently with prop Gethin Jenkins ruled out of the entire campaign with a toe injury, fellow front row Adam Jones now ruled out for an initial eight weeks and outside Six Nations hope Gavin Henson sidelined for three weeks.
But if Gatland was thinking his luck had to change soon that hope has been spectacularly extinguished with news of Shanklin’s injury.
“Unfortunately Tom has had a scan and needs another operation on that troublesome knee which will keep him out for three months,” said Blues coach Dai Young.
Italy
No injuries reported at this time.