HEINEKEN CUP NEWS ROUND-UP: GLASGOW WARRIORS could be without first-choice outhalf Ruaridh Jackson and tighthead prop Moray Low for their Heineken Cup Pool Three clash with Leinster at Firhill on Sunday (12.45pm) having sustained injuries while playing in the 16-14 defeat against the Scarlets in Llanelli last Saturday.
Jackson limped off with a hamstring injury after kicking a penalty just 12 minutes into the game while Low only lasted 14 minutes longer before having to depart for the sidelines with a knee problem.
Glasgow coach Sean Lineen will be advised by his medical team, but the prognosis doesn’t appear favourable based on reports from Scotland that suggest the pair could be doubtful for the start of the Six Nations Championship.
Jackson made his debut for the national side against New Zealand in November 2010 and has gone on to establish himself as the first choice outhalf in winning a further 11 caps.
Low’s potential absence would have wider ramifications for Glasgow.
The club’s first-choice tighthead prop Mick Cusack is currently out of commission, leaving Ed Kalman, who replaced Low during the Scarlets’ match, as the only specialist tighthead on the books.
Glasgow currently trail Leinster by six points in the pool and nothing short of a victory – preferably with a bonus point – will suffice to preserve their European ambitions.
Meanwhile, Ulster coach Brian McLaughlin has named an extended 33-man panel for Friday night’s pivotal European clash with the Leicester Tigers at Ravenhill including Pedrie Wannenburg (foot) and Ian Humphreys (hamstring) who retired injured in the excellent win away to Edinburgh last weekend. Stephen Ferris and Rory Best also didn’t finish the match, but the game had been won at that point.
Luke Marshall, Paddy Jackson and Nevin Spence have all recovered from ankle injuries and returned to training, as has flanker Mike McComish (shoulder).
Prop Declan Fitzpatrick’s neck injury means that he will be out for four to six weeks and he joins Paddy McAllister (knee) on the sidelines.
The Tigers will be without a triumvirate of England internationals – outhalf Toby Flood, centre Manu Tuilagi and secondrow Louis Deacon.
The club’s director of rugby Richard Cockerill admitted: “There is a little bit of uncertainty going over there because we have some quality missing from the side.
“However, we have been on good form and the last 12 games have been pretty good, apart from the one loss in Clermont. As a result, we have to go there with confidence, play as hard as we can and try and win. We have to get four points because that would put us in the box seat to qualify. If we get a point, we might go through. If we get nothing, we will be out.
“We have a couple of blokes missing and they had a couple come off injured in their last game at Edinburgh. All we can do is go there, give it a crack and see what happens. It’s another short turnaround with just six days between the Wasps and Ulster game, and that is after we have just played three games in 12 days.
“It’s a huge game and I am sure the weather will be lovely on a Friday night in Belfast! It is likely to be windy and rainy, and how we manage the game and how we front up physically is going to be really important for us.
“We must win the battle at the contact area.”
ULSTER SQUAD: C Black, T Court, A Macklin, J Afoa, J Cronin, A Kyriacou, N Brady, R Best, L Stevenson, J Muller (capt), D Tuohy, T Barker, N McComb, S Ferris, P Wannenburg, W Faloon, M McComish, C Henry, R Diack, P Marshall, R Pienaar, I Porter, I Humphreys, P Jackson, P Wallace, I Whitten, D Cave, N Spence, S Terblanche, C Gilroy, S Danielli, A Trimble, A D'Arcy. Unavailable due to injury: D Fitzpatrick, J Payne, P McAllister, P Nelson.
