Fitzgerald set to call it a day with neck injury
THERE are growing fears that Luke Fitzgerald is about to announce his retirement from rugby with a neck injury which has bothered him for years. The 28-year-old missed the tour to South Africa with a knee injury picked up in the Pro12 final loss to Connacht, having earlier this year missed the Six Nations due to a medial knee ligament problem. But it has emerged that a serious neck injury sustained in 2012 is prompting him to strongly consider retirement, with an announcement expected this week. He has sustained a string of injuries since bursting on the scene as a teenager, making his Leinster competitive debut a week short of his 19th birthday and his international debut two months later against the Pacific Islands on the same day as Jamie Heaslip. That was all in 2006 — the same year Fitzgerald won his second Leinster Schools Senior Cup medal with Blackrock College — but a series of injuries has curtailed his international appearances to 34, the same number his dad Des won as a prop for Ireland from 1984-92. He did not make the World Cup squads in 2007 or 2011, having been on the Grand Slam team of 2009, but he finally made his World Cup debut against Canada last September. He also featured against Italy, France and Argentina in the competition but that loss to the Pumas now looks like being his final Ireland game after successive knee injuries ruled him out of the Six Nations and the tour to South Africa. His retirement would be a second blow in a week to Leinster coach Leo Cullen following Eoin Reddan’s decision to retire. Fitzgerald (left) has made 154 appearances for Leinster, scoring 32 tries, since his debut against Edinburgh in September 2006.
THE IRFU is set to receive a decision from Joe Schmidt on his long-term future over the next few weeks, as the Ireland head coach considers returning home to New Zealand. Schmidt’s current contract expires in 12 months, but there is already an offer on the table to lead Ireland to the 2019 World Cup. However, New Zealand Rugby Union (NZRU) chief executive Steve Tew is a keen admirer of Schmidt, and is hopeful of luring the 50-yearold back to his homeland with an eye to taking charge of the All Blacks in 2019.
NZRU policy would mean that Schmidt would need to spend a minimum of one season within Super Rugby or the national team coaching set-up, and last week the Ireland boss confirmed that he already had a ‘very light conversation’ with Highlanders chief executive Roger Clark.
The key factor for Schmidt is the health of his 13-year-old son Luke, who is battling a severe form of epilepsy. The coach spoke emotionally when questioned about his future following Saturday’s 19-13 defeat to South Africa in Port Elizabeth.
‘It’s not really my decision to be honest,’ Schmidt said. ‘I’ve got a young fella struggling at the moment. That’s just the way it is.’
Schmidt, who is optimistic about the direction his Ireland team is heading following the summer tour of South Africa, will discuss his future with his family over the next three weeks while on holiday back home in New Zealand, and it is believed he will inform the IRFU of his plans before the beginning of the 2016/17 season.