AT ONE STAGE during Ireland’s Six Nations game against Italy during this year’s Six Nations, three Irish players were down with serious injuries and Dr Eanna Falvey was caught in the middle.

Like a war medic, he dashed from Luke Marshall to Luke Fitzgerald and over to Peter O’Mahony and assessed the worst of the trio before working out treatments for the fallen stars.

The afternoon’s of Fitzgerald [knee] and Marshall [concussion] were over while O’Mahony recovered to take his place on the wing – a position the forward has not played since his school days. Falvey, who will travel to Australia with the British & Irish Lions, earned his keep that day.

He told TheScore.ie, “I felt bitterly sorry for the players. Even before the Six Nations began Ireland had lost so many frontliners. I felt sorry for Declan Kidney too as his plans were hampered in a big way by the loss of so many key players.

Just a few weeks after the Six Nations you saw guys like Paul O’Connell, Simon Zebo and Tommy Bowe coming back and doing well in the Heineken Cup. To see that must have been frustrating, in a way, for Declan because if he had even one of those against Scotland, for example, it could have made all the difference.”

Amid the carnage, and queues for the treatment table, Falvey was struck by the manner in which Leinster and Ireland back Fitzgerald coped with his second major knee injury in less than a year.

“Poor Luke Fitzgerald,” said Falvey, “just back after a long comeback from injury and he damages his cruciate. It must have been devastating for him.”

Dr. Falvey and Ireland physio assess the injured Fitzgerald. (©INPHO/Billy Stickland)

Falvey added, “He was unbelievable in his approach and took it on the chin. Once he learned the extent of his injury and timeframes [for a comeback] he said ‘Let’s get going’. I was greatly impressed by that, not just from a medical standpoint but as a human being. The courage he has shown in the face of that is remarkable.”

The concussion conundrum

The issue of player concussions cropped up at the tail-end of Ireland’s difficult Six Nations campaign as centres Brian O’Driscoll and Luke Marshall [twice] shipped hefty blows. There was speculation from pundits, supporters, journalists and former players about O’Driscoll and Marshall being patched up and sent back into the fray.

O’Driscoll was bowled over by French prop Vincent Debaty in the home draw with France and left the field only to return for the final four minutes of frantic action. Speaking to TheScore.ie after the match Irish winger Keith Earls commented, “When you see a fella who doesn’t know where he is one minute and comes back on with his head all strapped up; he’s a true warrior.”

Dr. Falvey speaking at the Sports Surgery Clinic, Santry. (Paul Mohan/SPORTSFILE)

Falvey stated, “There was a lot of ill-informed commentary about Brian and Luke around that time.

“From Luke’s side, it was very worrying. He’s a real good guy, honest and a good player. He recovered well after the France game. In the Italy game it was actually his own player, Paddy Jackson’s head he collided with. He came off but had fully recovered that day.”

Three weeks after the defeat to Italy, Marshall returned to action for Ulster in their Heineken Cup quarter-final with Saracens. The centre was concussed again and was helped from the pitch by two of the Ulster medical staff. He was ruled out of the rest of the season and not considered for Ireland’s tour to North America.

Falvey added, “When it comes to concussion, there are good, quality guidelines there. It is an evolving process. It is not perfect yet but, one would hope, over the coming seasons, that it will be.”

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