Sport

Wood may miss series

THE Ireland hooker and captain Keith Wood is likely to miss the rest of the Five Nations series because of a dislocated left …

By EDMUND VAN ESBECK
Mon Jan 20 1997 - 00:00

THE Ireland hooker and captain Keith Wood is likely to miss the rest of the Five Nations series because of a dislocated left shoulder sustained just before half time against France on Saturday.

Wood has had ongoing problems with his right and left shoulders but it was an operation on his right shoulder which kept him out of the game all last season.

"I have dislocated my left shoulder and while I cannot be definite about how long it will take to heal, I understand anything from four to six weeks," said Wood.

Wood sustained the injury after he fell heavily when French centre Thomas Castaignede went into tackle him. "I went down on the shoulder when I fell over one of the smallest men on the field," said Wood.

READ MORE

The Ireland manager, Pat Whelan, said the team to meet Wales in Cardiff on Saturday week will be selected next Sunday. He said apart from Wood no player had sustained an injury of any consequence.

Ireland reserve prop Paul Flavin (Blackrock College) created his own piece of history last Saturday. After France scored a try in the 84th minute, Nick Popplewell went off the field. Flavin replaced him, standing behind the Ireland line while Thomas Castuignede was taking the conversion.

After that was kicked the referee, Andre Watson, blew the final whistle. As he came on as a replacement before the final whistle is Flavin entitled to get a cap as he took no actual part in the game?

Flavin was, however, presented with the cap on Saturday night. There seems to be divergent opinion, however, on whether or not he was entitled to it. Flavin did not come on as a tactical replacement for Popplewell. If a tactical replacement is made the numbers must be held up and the referee informed. This did not happen. Flavin came on after Popplewell went off injured. But in such an instance the injury has to be confirmed by a doctor before a replacement can be made. This did not happen either. And while once the try was scored, the ball was dead, yet in fact the match was not over until the final whistle blew and that happened after Castaignede converted the try.