Eire captain Caelan Doris’ availability for the British and Irish Lions tour to Australia is doubtful as Leinster say he could have a “process” on a shoulder harm.
The 27-year-old, who has been touted as a possible Lions captain after taking on as Eire skipper earlier than final 12 months, was harm throughout Leinster’s Champions Cup semi-final loss to Northampton Saints on Saturday.
Andy Farrell, who appointed Doris as Eire captain, names his Lions squad on Thursday.
“The complete extent of the harm, and implications for the summer time, will not be recognized till after the process,” learn a press release from Leinster.
Nevertheless, chatting with reporters afterward Monday, Leinster senior coach Jacques Nienaber says he fears the harm Doris is “fairly critical”.
“He noticed a specialist and I believe there’s some additional investigation that must be executed,” Nienaber mentioned of Doris, who was pressured off with 1 / 4 of the Saints sport remaining.
“Fingers crossed that issues aren’t as unhealthy as we predict it’s, however within the final couple of months that I’ve labored with Caelan, he isn’t a man that essentially comes off the pitch with harm.
“So once I subjectively noticed him coming off the pitch on Saturday, I assumed in my thoughts, ‘that should be fairly critical’.
“We’ll most likely know extra within the again finish of the week, however my intestine, and it is solely intestine, says that I believe it could be critical, however fingers crossed it may not be.”
The Lions tackle Argentina in Dublin on 20 June earlier than travelling to Australia. Farrell’s facet face the Wallabies in three Assessments on 19 July (Brisbane), 26 July (Melbourne) and a pair of August (Sydney).
