ULSTER HAVE BEEN dealt several heavy injury blows ahead of Friday night’s crucial Guinness Pro12 clash with the Scarlets, with scrum-half Ruan Pienaar among those ruled out.
Director of rugby Les Kiss is also facing something of a front row crisis after the loss of a handful of key players in that department.
South African playmaker Pienaar sustained a right knee injury in the New Year’s Eve defeat to Leinster in Dublin and will see a specialist this week “to decide on further management,” according to Ulster.
Kiss will be hopeful that Pienaar’s return to action is swift, as the province look towards Champions Cup fixtures against Exeter and Bordeaux this month.
Loosehead prop Kyle McCall will be missing for those games and much of the remainder of the season after being ruled out for four to five months following a hamstring tear in the recent European clash with Clermont.
Joining him on the sidelines are hooker Rob Herring and tighthead Rodney Ah You, who both face six-week recovery timeframes after suffering knee ligament injuries against Leinster.
Deepening the front row concerns for Ulster is a calf muscle tear for tighthead Wiehahn Herbst, which will rule him out for four to six weeks.
With Ricky Lutton also still sidelined due to a toe injury, Ulster are left facing tighthead difficulties, with the inexperienced Ross Kane – just back from injury – and Jonny Simpson – who only made his debut against Leinster – left as the obvious options in the number three shirt.
The injury issues don’t end there for Ulster, however, with Roger Wilson [knee] and Craig Gilroy [ankle] both ruled out of Friday night’s visit to the Scarlets.
Ulster have also confirmed that Marcell Coetzee [knee], Peter Nelson [foot], Alan O’Connor [concussion], Stuart Olding [calf], Jared Payne [kidney] and Matthew Rea [shoulder] all remain sidelined.
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One would be forgiven for thinking it was an image of Des Kelly.
Not a Bohs fan but that’s a beautiful jersey. Well done to all involved.
Proud to say I was at that Bob Marley gig in Dalymount….. God am I really that old?
@Fr. Fintan Stack: Yes. Yes you are.
@Fr. Fintan Stack: me too
@Fr. Fintan Stack: Me too! I was only 4 and my folks brought me because they could get a baby sitter, my Ma always says it was a great gig, my Da always says it was so good he doesn’t remember it ;)
Plenty of Wailers in thst kip all year.
@Wayne Scales: nob
@Brian Dunne: Knob
@Criostóir McCormack: nob
@Criostóir McCormack: Door?
Most charismatic man I’ve ever seen. He should be remembered often.
I’m not a football fan but that’s a seriously cool Jersey, I’d happily wear one.
Yep everyone was at that gig!
@Jay Kearney: I wasn’t, had a ticket though.
Bob marley is of irish dna.. Mind you a good third of the carribbea6 do, 37 percent of african americans have, nice to know how well we look after them.
A generation of kids will grow up thinking this is Des Kelly. Legend.
I was at this concert and still have the original ticket stub. I put it on Done Deal for sale and got a wrap on the buckles from my daughter. I had to withdraw it and now its in a picture frame in my daughters house. Glad I withdrew it now.
I’m buying one yes looks lush not even from Dublin but be whopper wit nice pair blue jeans bob u will live for ever. ya Mon…