Andy Farrell provides positive Garry Ringrose update, but the news isn’t all good

Patrick McCarry

“We were texting his mother and father there.”

Near the end of another Ireland Test victory, and a hard-fought one at that, Garry Ringrose took a hip to the head as he braced to tackle. Play should have immediately been stop but it eventually was, so Ringrose could receive medical attention.

In scenes that no sports fan likes to see, Ringrose was clearly sparked after the collision and was unable to rise, on a couple of occasions. Referee Luke Pearce asked assistant Wayne Barnes how Ringrose was, as play raged on, but there was a wait before sense prevailed and the game was paused.

Play was then held up for more than five minutes as the Leinster centre, winning his 50th Ireland cap today, received medical attention. Encouragingly, Ringrose raised a thumb to the crowd as he was being stretchered off. Following his side’s 22-7 victory over the Scots, Andy Farrell spoke about Garry Ringrose:

“I was texting his mother and father, there, because they’re very concerned. There were safety checks and precautions, there, around necks but he was up and talking so, hopefully, he’s going to be fine.”

"We'll have to have a look at Old Belvedere's Under 12s" – Andy Farrell admits Ireland's injury list has escalated, but says they'll find a way to pick themselves up off the canvas for Saturday's massive showdown against England #RTErugby #SixNations pic.twitter.com/iu83ylIEYr

— RTÉ Rugby (@RTErugby) March 12, 2023

Garry Ringrose joins long casualty list

With only a six-day turnaround for the final Six Nations game, against England, Garry Ringrose is most likely out of the mix for the finale, in Dublin.

Iain Henderson, who left Murrayfield with his wrist in a cast, also looks likely to miss out on the England game. Rónan Kelleher had a shoulder issue that prevented him from throwing into the lineout, so Ireland went to Cian Healy as emergency hooker, for scrums, with Josh van der Flier throwing to the lineout.

There was more positive news on two more of the walking wounded. Dan Sheehan’s x-ray showed up with no serious issues after he left the fray, in the first half. Farrell told reporters that Caelan Doris ‘should be okay for England’.

Hooker is the most stretched department but the Ulster duo of Rob Herring and Tom Stewart may be called upon, with Connacht’s Dave Heffernan a Test-ready option.

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