Injuries

[rathgarblue]

I hope this is not true. SH is and always will be a legend for Leinster and Ireland.

[Degz]

I sad.

[Donny B.]

Only seeing this now! Would be incredibly sad if true.

[fourthirtythree]

This has been flagged for some time. He was pretty sure he was retiring at the end of the summer but it seems was given some hope by the surgeon. As I said at the beginning of the season he and bod have degenerative injuries, knee and neck, that are not going to get "well".

We live in hope cos the man is a hero.

[Vamos los azules]

This has been flagged for some time. He was pretty sure he was retiring at the end of the summer but it seems was given some hope by the surgeon. As I said at the beginning of the season he and bod have degenerative injuries, knee and neck, that are not going to get "well".

We live in hope cos the man is a hero.

I heard this story as well - it's just not going to get better. And at nearly 34 maybe his time in the game is at an end.

I may shed a small tear for the big man on the day it becomes definite though because he has been a legend.

[enby]

Kind of inevitable but really gutted to read that report. Shaggy is an absolute class act. Who will ever forget that pass to Drico for the bonus point against Brive?


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UW7HgpvlLFs


Even the numpties in Sky appreciated it as the crowd chanted "Shaggy Shaggy Shaggy"

[ceemec]

For me, Shaggy is the definition of a Leinster hero. I will be truly gutted if it proves to be true. He's our longest serving player and still, somehow, only 33. Made his debut a couple of weeks after his 20th birthday and has amassed over 200 caps despite being on Irish duty on many occasions and the first 3 years of his career coming before the inception of the Celtic League. 65 international caps should be closed to 80 if things were being selected on form. Always more skilled than he was given credit for. He started as a 13, became a 12 and finally, due to the presence of Henderson and Maggs, was put on the wing for Ireland where we realised he was most effective. You could see at the final whistle in 2009 that it meant a massive amount to him. He's a blue born and bred and he would give his all for the cause.

http://www.sportsfile.com/winshare/wate ... 354917.jpg

I would love for him just to have one more appearance for us to give him a send off.

[Oldschool]

Got Shane's autograph at the HEC celebrations last year.
A truly great player, a gent and a great smile - Thanks for the memories Shane and I hope you may yet give us a few more.
We're all rooting for you!

[kendalgerty]

It doesn't matter how many times I see that try against Brive, it always makes me incredulous. An unbelievable no-look pass from Shaggy. I think it was the 2006 November internationals when he was at his absolute peak. He plundered try after try that series. Needless to say, a truly great lpayer, and I could become a bit weepy if he was to retire.

[Scott]

IT Reports - Cullen to undergo Achilles operations

Rugby: Leo Cullen will be out of action for between six and eight weeks after it was decided by Irish management that he would undergo an operation today on both his Achilles tendons.

The Leinster secondrow was hopeful of managing the injury through the rest of the season, but today’s decision will see him out of action until at least the second week of March.

That would still leave Ireland’s Six Nations encounters at home to Scotland (March 10th) and the away trip to Twickenham on St Patrick’s Day.

An eight-week absence would rule him out of the full Six Nations, with Leinster’s Heineken Cup quarter-final clash at home to Cardiff Blues the next target for the province’s captain.

Munster backrow James Coughlan has been called into the Irish senior squad in place of Cullen for their training camp in Limerick.

[Lar]

IT Reports - Cullen to undergo Achilles operations

Rugby: Leo Cullen will be out of action for between six and eight weeks after it was decided by Irish management that he would undergo an operation today on both his Achilles tendons.

The Leinster secondrow was hopeful of managing the injury through the rest of the season, but today’s decision will see him out of action until at least the second week of March.

That would still leave Ireland’s Six Nations encounters at home to Scotland (March 10th) and the away trip to Twickenham on St Patrick’s Day.

An eight-week absence would rule him out of the full Six Nations, with Leinster’s Heineken Cup quarter-final clash at home to Cardiff Blues the next target for the province’s captain.

Munster backrow James Coughlan has been called into the Irish senior squad in place of Cullen for their training camp in Limerick.

That's a little odd, replacing a second row with a back row, although I suppose D Ryan offer options in both.

[Leinsterman]

That's a little odd, replacing a second row with a back row, although I suppose D Ryan offer options in both.

He's there to hold tackle bags. He wasn't even in the original Wolfhound panel so there's no way he's leapfrogged the likes of Tuohy etc into the senior squad.
Seems to me that Kidney knew his 22 for Wales all along and didn't want to disrupt the Wolfhound preparations by taking a player from their panel.

[mikey]

IT Reports - Cullen to undergo Achilles operations

Rugby: Leo Cullen will be out of action for between six and eight weeks after it was decided by Irish management that he would undergo an operation today on both his Achilles tendons.

The Leinster secondrow was hopeful of managing the injury through the rest of the season, but today’s decision will see him out of action until at least the second week of March.

That would still leave Ireland’s Six Nations encounters at home to Scotland (March 10th) and the away trip to Twickenham on St Patrick’s Day.

An eight-week absence would rule him out of the full Six Nations, with Leinster’s Heineken Cup quarter-final clash at home to Cardiff Blues the next target for the province’s captain.

Munster backrow James Coughlan has been called into the Irish senior squad in place of Cullen for their training camp in Limerick.

I think that is sensible - managing the injury sounded like a recipe for continued pain and problems for Leo - heres to a speedy recovery

[Scott]

Eoin O'Malley out for 6months with cruciate

[mikey]

Eoin O'Malley out for 6months with cruciate

Gutted....

[deco]

If Bails starts posting in this thread.....can someone ban/kill him?

[simonokeeffe]

Do O'Malley and Thorn have the same doctor?