RUGBY:IRELAND AND Ulster flanker Stephen Ferris, who has not played since injuring his knee in January, will not be available for the rest of the season. Ferris, who the province had hoped would make a return for the weekend's Magners League semi-final against Leinster, was informed by the IRFU medical team following consultation his season was over.
The 25-year-old aggravated an old injury playing with Ulster against Italian side Aironi prior to this season’s Six Nations Championship.
Lock Dan Tuohy injured a hamstring in Friday’s match against the Dragons and will have a scan today before a definitive diagnosis is made, while wing forward Willie Faloon will have surgery to his shoulder this week to repair a torn rotator cuff.
Ulster’s ill-fortune – Paddy Wallace, BJ Botha and Andrew Trimble are also injured – is in contrast to that of Ospreys, who face Munster in the second of the weekend’s semi-finals at Thomond Park.
Ospreys are hoping Wales winger Shane Williams will be healthy following a knee injury, while Jerry Collins will also be available for the trip to Limerick two weeks after being cited following a dangerous tackle on Munster’s Felix Jones. The former All Black escaped a lengthy ban but missed last week’s game in Italy.
“Shane is pretty close to coming back,” said Ospreys coach Sean Holley. “He’s a one-off, world-class performer.”
Munster have no new injury concerns and will select their squad later this week. Tony McGahan’s side were the winners in Sunday night’s Magners League Awards for the 2010-11 season. The province scooped three of the seven categories, with outhalf Ronan O’Gara winning the Golden Boot, McGahan taking the Coach of the Season Award and Alan Quinlan earning chairman Andy Irvine’s award after 15 years of service. The Players’ Player of the Season went to Ulster’s Springbok utility back Ruan Pienaar.
Leinster had to make do with the Fairplay Award, which comes with a €11,500 prize to put towards youth development. The award goes to the team that gathers the least number of yellow and red cards throughout the season.
On a domestic level, nine-times All-Ireland league winner Andrew Thompson has officially announced his retirement from playing for Shannon.
MAGNERS LEAGUE AWARD WINNERS: Players’ player of the season – Ruan Pienaar (Ulster); Coach of the season – Tony McGahan (Munster); Young player of the season – Toby Faletau (Newport Gwent Dragons); Chairman’s award – Alan Quinlan (Munster); Try of the season – Ashley Beck (Ospreys); Gilbert golden boot – Ronan O’Gara (Munster); Specsavers fairplay award – Leinster.
