Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
Jamison’s on the Luke out
Wasps v Leinster Pool 1 Sunday, 3.15pm BY MICHAEL SCULLY
LUKE MCGRATH’S difficulty is Jamison Gibson-park’s opportunity as one door shuts and another opens.
Gibson-park admits to frustration that more often than not in a Champions Cup week, the numbers stack up against him.
The ruling that only allows for two non-european players has impacted most on the Kiwi scrum-half.
James Lowe and Scott Fardy have regularly got the nod ahead of him but the issue will end in the summer when Gibson-park, after three years of residency, will become Ireland qualified.
He said: “When you are missing out through something that is un-rugby related, it can be frustrating.
“That’s all part of it but we’re nearly at the end of it, which will be nice, though I still have a few more months to go.”
For this week, Leo Cullen’s dilemma will come down to picking Lowe or Fardy with the Kiwi.
The province confirmed yesterday that Mcgrath (inset) will miss the next eight weeks with a knee ligament problem – the second year in a row that his Six Nations ambitions have been scuppered.
As such, Gibson-park’s experience will be vital in Coventry against Wasps on Sunday.
“It’s not a great time of the year to be picking up such an injury but that’s the way it goes, it’s a cruel sport sometimes,” said Gibson-park.
“Luke will be working hard and I’m looking forward to welcoming him back but it represents an opportunity for myself.
“He’s good but he’s pretty down about the whole thing and the timing of it because leading into the Six Nations it would have been nice to see him play his part.
“He’s a tough little bugger so he’ll be going hard to get back as soon as he can.”