ULSTER REMAIN RELUCTANT to put an exact timeframe on Jacob Stockdale’s return from the grade-two hamstring injury he sustained in pre-season training in fear of rushing him back too quickly.
The northern province were dealt a blow last week with confirmation that Stockdale would miss the first two months of the season, making him a serious doubt for the start of their Champions Cup campaign.
Ulster open their European season against Leicester Tigers on 13 October but Bryn Cunningham, the province’s director of rugby operations, insisted it is too early to say if Stockdale will be back by then.
“Honestly we don’t like putting fixed timelines on players as things go at different rates and the main thing is we don’t want to rush things, that’s the last thing we want to do,” he said.
“Jacob is a young guy, the last thing you want to do is force these guys to come back early and you potentially have a problem that they’re managing for the rest of their careers. It’s just about managing and making sure he’s 100% right and once he is, he’ll be good to go.”
Stockdale, who enjoyed an outstanding season last term with both Ireland and Ulster, suffered the strain upon his return to pre-season training following his involvement in the summer tour of Australia.
The 22-year-old was one of the stars of Ireland’s Grand Slam victory, scoring a record-breaking seven tries during the championship to claim the Player of the Six Nations award, while bringing his international tally to 11 tries from 11 caps.
Cunningham admits the timing of the injury is massively disappointing for the Lisburn native, particularly as he looks to replicate the prolific form he produced last year.
“Everyone wants to hit the ground running at the start of last season and, as you say, he had a massively successful season,” Cunningham continued.
“The big thing for him now is backing that up as he’s now not an unknown quantity for a lot of people and sometimes that’s the toughest season for players.
“It’s what truly defines a class player, someone who can back it up season-after-season and that will be Jacob’s biggest challenge.
“He’ll have to continually improve and develop, which I’ve no doubt that he will, and he’ll have the appetite for it and I’ve no doubt he’ll be part of our team and the Irish team for years to come.”
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