RUGBY
Luckless Carbery to miss Six Nations
By Daire Walsh
JUST when it looked like he was ready to leave his injury troubles firmly behind him, Athy’s Joey Carbery was a dealt a fresh blow in the aftermath of Munster’s recent interprovincial defeat to Ulster.
After finally making a full recovery from the ankle injury that he carried through the Rugby World Cup in Japan, Carbery was looking towards the recent bout of Heineken Champions Cup games as the perfect audition for a Six Nations starting berth.
A cameo against former club Leinster preceded the Red Army’s trip to Belfast, but a damaged wrist in the latter game ensures the 24-year-old will return to the treatment table for an estimated period of between two to four months.
Having enjoyed an excellent debut campaign at Munster, Carbery was eager to push forward upon his return from Japan.
The chance to work with former Wallabies legend Stephen Larkham (who was appointed assistant coach at the province during the off-season) would have added a spring to his step after the disappointment of the World Cup and this latest set-back comes at a time when his services are needed the most.
At provincial level, Tyler Bleyendaal and JJ Hanrahan have both spent time on the sideline in recent weeks with Academy star Ben Healy the next viable alternative in the playmaker role. Although it is anticipated that he will back to full fitness in time for Ireland’s Six Nations opener with Scotland in February, Jonathan Sexton last saw action for Leinster in their Champions Cup success over Northampton Saints on 7 December.
The Dubliner turns 35 in July but, in the absence of Carbery, he remains the stand-out choice for the number 10 shirt as new head coach Andy Farrell aims to get his tenure off to a positive start. Despite being a worthy addition to the squad, Sexton’s club-mate Ross Byrne is yet to make his Six Nations bow and Ulster’s Billy Burns is completely uncapped at international level.
World Cup squad member Jack Carty may return to the reckoning in light of Joey Carbery’s injury, but the emergence of Conor Fitzgerald has put his place in the Connacht team under the microscope in recent weeks.
Though there is an understandable clamour for Farrell to tear down the hierarchy that has been built up within the Irish squad, all of the above means Sexton is a likely starter for his first game in charge.
As far as Carbery is concerned, all he can do is work as hard as he can behind the scenes in Limerick and hope that the Wigan man keeps him in mind for the summer tests in Australia.
Due to his Ireland commitments and a succession of injuries, he has played a grand total of four games for Munster over the course of the past 12 months. The former Ardscoil na Trionoide student often finds himself thrown back in at the deep end, so perhaps a more measure approach will be required for his next return to competitive fare.