by Brendan Cole
Ireland captain Paul O’Connell and scrum-half Conor Murray have both been ruled out of the rest of the RBS 6 Nations Championship after suffering injuries in the 17-17 draw with France on Sunday.
Ireland captain O’Connell played the full 80 minutes against France but underwent a scan on his left knee after twisting it during the match.
That revealed damage to his medial collateral ligament and the injury will rule him out of the next two Ireland games, which are against Scotland this weekend and England on 17 March.
In total, the injury is expected to require a 3-6 week recovery period, meaning that O’Connell could be a doubt for Munster’s Heineken Cup quarter-final with Ulster at the beginning of April.
Scrum-half Murray fell awkwardly in the 59th minute of the clash, with replays showing the knee buckling slightly on landing.
A scan has revealed bone brusing in the joint. An IRFU statement said there had been no signififcant damange to the ligaments but that the injury rules him out of the next two Ireland games.
In total, he is expected to miss 3 to 4 weeks.
The extended Ireland squad will reconvene at Carton House later this evening with Munster scrum-half Tomás O’Leary and Connacht forward Mike McCarthy having been added to cover the injuries.
Eoin Reddan, who has replaced Murray in the last two games, is likely to start against Scotland. Donnacha Ryan looks the most likely candidate to replace O’Connell in the starting second row berth with Donncha O’Callaghan continuing in the other berth.
Ireland will name the team to face Scotland on Wednesday afternoon at lunchtime. Scotland will announce their team tomorrow.
Ireland head coach Declan Kidney will also have to select another captain. O’Connell replaced Brian O’Driscoll, who is recovering from a shoulder operation, for this Six Nations but his absence creates a vacancy.
Rory Best, O’Callaghan, Stephen Ferris, Jamie Heaslip and Rob Kearney are among those who could come into contention for that role.
Ulster captain Best is considered the most likely to step in.
The injuries will also be cause for concern for Munster, who are due to face Ulster in the Heineken Cup quarter-final at Thomond Park on Sunday 8 April, meaning that if O’Connell’s projected injury absence is at the upper end of the range, he could miss the clash.
If Munster get through, the semi-final is due to take place three weeks later.