Paul O'Connell remains a serious doubt for Ireland's pivotal Six Nations game at home to Wales on Sunday week after a scan on his damaged shoulder yesterday confirmed a shoulder/AC joint strain.
According to an IRFU statement issued yesterday: "The injury will require rehabilitation over the next week, at which point a further assessment of the injury will be made. The level of strain to O'Connell's shoulder makes him a doubt for the Wales game in a fortnight's time."
Had Ireland's next game been this weekend, O'Connell would probably have been ruled out already. Instead, an update on his injury will be given in a week's time, possibly after a further scan.
The injury is arguably a tad more problematic for a forward, especially one as full-on as O'Connell, given the impact on the shoulder from scrummaging, ball-carrying and most of all tackling.
Ireland's outstanding forward of the opening two matches, O'Connell's loss would be severely damaging for what has largely been seen as Ireland's make-or-break game of the championship against last season's Grand Slam winners.
Based on squad selections and additional call-ups thus far, the likelihood, in the event of O'Connell missing out, would be that Mick O'Driscoll would come into the squad and that the under pressure Malcolm O'Kelly would bring his experience to bear alongside Donncha O'Callaghan in the second row.
