FERGUS MCFADDEN HAS been ruled out for ‘a number of weeks’ after fracturing a bone in his hand during Saturday’s defeat to Australia.
The Leinster centre-turned-wing was one of the few silver linings in the 32 – 15 loss to the Wallabies and it adds to a number of concerns in Joe Schmidt’s back-line.
Jonathan Sexton has not been ruled out of the clash against the All Blacks this Sunday despite limping off at half time with a hamstring injury. Team manager Michael Kearney today said that scans had shown the injury to be “less worrying than initially feared.”
Rob Kearney left the field in the final stages after suffering a rib injury which Kearney today confirmed as a rib cartilage tear, which could potentially be patched up enough to go head on with the world’s number one side.
Though the fullback has not yet been ruled out, Felix Jones has been added to the squad as cover. So too has Darren Cave who comes in as cover for Brian O’Driscoll who felt ‘tightness’ in the calf which sidelines him for all bar three games already this season.
Ireland’s all-time leading try-scorer expects to be fit enough to play New Zealand for the final time.
