Henderson ruled out of clash with Scotland

Rob Henderson has been ruled out of the opening Five Nations Championship game against Scotland at Lansdowne Road on February 7th. The Wasps centre recently underwent a groin operation and has failed to recover in time.

Irish team doctor Donal O'Shaughnessy ascertained that Henderson would not be fit in time and has conveyed the news to coach Brian Ashton. Compounding the loss of one centre is the news that the hapless, Jonathan Bell, suffered medial knee ligament damage while playing for Northampton against Harlequins at the weekend.

Bell has endured a nightmare season with injury, from severe hamstring trouble to a hand problem to this latest setback. He is not expected to play this weekend and therefore will not do so prior to the selection of the Ireland team for the international.

Ashton was dismayed to learn of Bell's misfortune: "He has endured a nightmare with injuries. He will have physiotherapy all week and will have to let us know what progress has been made at the weekend."

The problems with two potentially first choice centres made Ashton's visit to the Bristol-Gloucester game on Sunday all the more opportune. His primary concern was the performance of 23year-old New Zealand born, but Irish passport holder Adam Larkin.

"You would have to take note of the background, in the sense that he had not played for three and a half months, it was pouring rain with a howling gale, so not the ideal conditions to judge a player. He (Larkin) made nine tackles and missed one. You could see that he was a good defensive organiser with the shouting and pointing that he was doing.

"He received the ball three times, on one occasion making a 40-yard break. It was inconclusive on my part. You could see that he was very competent and certainly warrants another look." David Corkery did not play because of a back problem, an inopportune injury.

Bristol's shock cup defeat to Worcester means that they have no game this weekend.

St Mary's College scrum-half Conor McGuinness is another whose injury problems seem set to preclude any hope of selection. He is once again sidelined this weekend with the stress fracture to his shin and has not played since the beginning of December.

He, however, has not given up hope, but it is difficult to see the selectors gambling in arguably the most important game of the season for the national team.

Better news for the Irish coach was the performance of Richmond wing Dominic Chapman against London Irish on Saturday. Ashton admitted: "He was electrifying, showing dynamite pace. Conor O'Shea said that he's the quickest wing that he has come up against."

Chapman, who scored two tries, played in the Development XVExiles XV match in Limerick earlier in the season and must be a strong contender for a place in the A international against Scotland at Donnybrook.

South African born number eight Dion O'Cuinneagain and Rotherham scrum-half Guy Easterby have both been watched extensively recently by representatives of the Irish team management. Easterby has been particularly impressive and should challenge strongly for a place at Donnybrook.

His brother Simon, last season's outstanding performer at under21 level, enjoyed an auspicious debut for the A side against Canada. He will be a strong contender for inclusion in an already powerful backrow.