Jack McGrath suffers suspected concussion and may miss Edinburgh clash

Rodney Ah You signs new two-year contract with Connacht

Jack McGrath: will follow return to play protocols and may miss Pro12 game against Edinburgh. Photograph: Inpho.
Jack McGrath: will follow return to play protocols and may miss Pro12 game against Edinburgh. Photograph: Inpho.

Leinster’s Jack McGrath

suffered suspected concussion against Northampton on Saturday and is undergoing the medical back to play protocols. The Leinster loosehead prop, who has been covering for the injured Cian Healy and started against Northampton in the Heineken Cup, may not be available for Leinster’s weekend game against Edinburgh in the Pro12.

It could leave Leinster a little light in the front row if McGrath is ruled out, although Michael Bent, ostensibly a tighthead when he arrived in Ireland from New Zealand, has been scrumming down on the other side recently.

“You can see it on the video, there is a bit of a tackle as he (McGrath) is carrying the ball and he got a couple of whacks there,” said Leinster scrum coach Greg Feek. “It’s not tiddlywinks, so that’s going to happen and we’ll go through that protocol and see how it goes.”

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Sean O’Brien continues to recover from a dead leg but Leinster are undecided as to whether to play him at the weekend, while lock Devin Toner also has a heavily bruised leg.

“There are going to be a couple of enforced managerial lay-offs maybe and that might coincide with a couple of bumps and bruises,” added Feek of the weekend’s selection.

On the positive side the province look set to include Isaac Boss for the first time in weeks as the Irish scrumhalf has stepped up his rehabilitation following a hamstring injury.

Two-year contract
In Connacht Rodney Ah You has signed a new two-year contract, which will see him remain at Connacht until at least June 2O16. The 25-year-old former Under-20 World Cup winner with New Zealand, can play on either side of the scrum and is one of four squad members to have played in all 13 games so far this season, including the recent Heineken Cup back-to-back fixtures against Toulouse.

Outhalf Craig Ronaldson has been ruled out for four weeks with a hamstring injury. Ronaldson picked up the injury a minute after his introduction for Dan Parks against Toulouse on Saturday.

Meanwhile Ulster number eight Roger Wilson suffered a mild ankle injury in the bonus-point win over Treviso. A decision on his participation against Zebre will be taken later in the week.

Lock Lewis Stevenson will return to full training this week having recovered from medial ligament damage he suffered against Edinburgh last month, while Tommy Bowe is also stepping up his rehab and is expected to be available for the Six Nations. Ulster expect him back in action in mid to late January.

Johnny Watterson

Johnny Watterson

Johnny Watterson is a sports writer with The Irish Times