Knee operation means Craig Casey in race to be fit for the Six Nations as Munster count cost of Castres defeat
Craig Casey of Munster is carried from the pitch with an injury during the Champions Cup Pool 3 defeat to Castres. Photo: Brendan Moran/Sportsfile
Craig Casey is a major Six Nations doubt after being sent for surgery on his knee.
The Munster scrum-half avoided an anterior cruciate ligament injury in Friday night’s defeat to Castres, but he has suffered damage to his meniscus and the province say a timeline on his recovery will be established after his operation.
Ireland open their Six Nations campaign against England in six weeks time with Casey’s injury expected to keep him out for eight weeks.
Having missed out on selection for the All Blacks game, he was involved against Argentina, Fiji and Australia and made a big impact against the Wallabies.
He’s arguably Munster’s in-form player and he’ll be missed during the Christmas interpros against Ulster and Leinster and the European games against Saracens and Northampton Saints.
It doesn’t help that Conor Murray remains out with an elbow injury, with Paddy Patterson and Ethan Coughlan the next men up.
The defeat to Castres came at a huge cost for Munster, with winger Thaakir Abrahams also set to be sidelined for an extended period after he dislocated his shoulder. He’ll go for scans to see if he needs surgery.
Peter O’Mahony is a doubt after sustaining a calf contusion during the second half, but he could still face Ulster on Friday, while Diarmuid Barron has not been ruled out after passing his Head Injury Assessment.
Prop Dian Bleuler is definitely out after failing his HIA, while Springbok lock Jean Kleyn could be set for a spell on the sidelines after suffering a thigh injury last week. He has also been sent for scans.
Ulster are also sweating on a number of key players for the Ravenhill clash, with Iain Henderson, Cormac Izuchukwu, Nick Timoney, Werner Kok, Nathan Doak and Aidan Morgan all doubts. John Cooney is fit again.
Meanwhile, the IRFU has confirmed that star props Andrew Porter and Tadhg Furlong have signed new contracts that will see them remain with Leinster and Ireland until 2027.
