Ireland lose van der Flier for season to injury
JOSH VAN der Flier’s seasonending knee injury is a “massive” blow to Ireland’s NatWest Six Nations campaign, according to team-mate CJ Stander.
Flanker van der Flier suffered knee ligament damage in Saturday’s tournament-opening 15-13 win over France in Paris, and will now be sidelined until the summer.
Ireland were already sweating on British & Irish Lions stalwart Sean O’Brien shaking off hip trouble to feature in the tournament, and have now been hit by another back-row injury.
Munster flanker Stander admitted Ireland will miss Leinster star van der Flier’s allaction approach as they chase a third Six Nations crown in five years.
Asked how big a blow van der Flier’s loss will prove to Ireland, Stander said: “I think massive.
“He’s a tough player, a physical player, he always pitches up, not just in games but in training, he lifts the energy of the whole squad and he’s been around the players since coming in as a young fella and impressed all of us.
“At this level now, he’s playing well week-in, week-out, especially in the back-row, he’s going to be a big loss.
“There are a lot of guys pushing for a jersey there, but he’s still going to be missed. Hopefully he gets sorted quite quick.”
Johnny Sexton’s last-gasp dropgoal sealed Ireland’s dramatic win over Les Bleus, who had nearly stolen victory thanks to Teddy Thomas’s stunning solo try.
Ireland will host Italy at the Aviva Stadium on Saturday in what will be former full-back Conor O’Shea’s first Dublin encounter as Azzurri head coach.
That is the first of three straight home games for Ireland, with Wales and Scotland also visiting, before the showdown with England at Twickenham.