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Injury Update

Munster's Tadhg Beirne ruled out of opening rounds of Six Nations

Connacht’s Quinn Roux has been called up as Ireland depart for Portugal.

TADHG BEIRNE HAS been ruled out of Ireland’s opening two Six Nations games after sustaining a knee injury during Munster’s Heineken Champions Cup win over Exeter Chiefs at the weekend.

The second row had a scan on the injury yesterday and in a cruel blow, will be sidelined for the championship games against England and Scotland.

Connacht’s Quinn Roux has been called up to Joe Schmidt’s squad.

Tadhg Beirne down injured Beirne picked up the injury at Thomond Park on Saturday. Oisin Keniry / INPHO Oisin Keniry / INPHO / INPHO

It is a huge shame for Beirne after his outstanding form for Munster, including Saturday’s man-of-the-match performance, had put him in a good position to be involved against England on Saturday 2 February.

In a brief release this morning, the IRFU confirmed the in-form 27-year-old will not travel with the squad to Portugal today for a pre-championship training camp.

After the campaign opener against England, Ireland’s title defence continues against Scotland at Murrayfield on Saturday 9 February. There is then a down week, before Schmidt’s side travel to Rome to face Italy on Sunday 24 February. 

Beirne’s Munster team-mate, Andrew Conway, won’t travel to Portugal either after picking up a knock during the province’s pool victory over the Chiefs at Thomond Park, a result which secured their passage through to a quarter-final tie against Edinburgh.

The IRFU say Conway is unable to train this week but will be fully fit to train at Carton House next week ahead of the eagerly-anticipated showdown at the Aviva Stadium.

Leinster’s Adam Byrne, not named in Schmidt’s original squad, will be part of the training camp in Portugal as injury cover for Conway. 

Having been a late withdrawal from Leinster’s Pool 1 win over Wasps yesterday, Jack Conan will remain with his province to continue treatment on a shoulder injury but, like Conway, will be fully fit to train next week.

Both Rob Kearney and Jack McGrath will also stay with Leinster this week and are due to be involved in Friday’s Guinness Pro14 game against Scarlets as they bid to get minutes under their belt. 

All other players reporting niggles from the weekend’s European matches will be managed by the Ireland medical team in Portugal, the IRFU added.

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