Dan Sheehan concussion: Ireland’s captain races a 12-day clock

Dan Sheehan will miss Ireland’s Test against Fiji on Saturday.

The captain’s concussion starts a 12-day clock, and the Springboks arrive in Dublin a week after Fiji. Does it run out in time?

Ireland captain Dan Sheehan must go through 12 days of return-to-play steps after his concussion, the IRFU confirmed on Monday 9 November. He was hurt in the 42-12 win over Argentina on Friday 6 November. The hooker misses Fiji at the Aviva Stadium on Saturday 14 November.

Connacht No.8 Sean Jansen is out for the rest of the Nations Championship with a knee injury.

“We’ll pick the best side for the fixture for now,” Ireland assistant coach John Fogarty said, RTÉ reported. “We’ve got to prepare properly and take Fiji on for what they are.”

Key facts

• Out v Fiji: Dan Sheehan, hooker and captain, 28, concussion, 12-day protocol
• Out for the window: Sean Jansen, Connacht No.8, 27, knee
• Being monitored: Josh van der Flier (ankle), Rob Baloucoune (cramp)
• Back in full training Tuesday: Bundee Aki, after illness
• Called in to train: Gus McCarthy (Leinster hooker), David McCann (Ulster back row)
• Next: Fiji, Saturday 14 November, 8.10pm; South Africa, Saturday 21 November

Dan Sheehan concussion: does the 12-day clock beat the Springboks?

Sheehan went off for a head injury assessment just before half-time on Friday and did not come back.

Twelve days from Friday 6 November ends on Wednesday 18 November. The count is ours: the union has not said on which day the protocol began.

If the count started on the night, he would have three days to spare before South Africa. The Irish Times calls it a race against time.

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Who covers hooker this week

Gus McCarthy, the Leinster hooker, moves up from the Ireland XV squad as back-up for Sheehan. Rónan Kelleher, who scored the sixth try from a maul against Argentina, was the other hooker in Friday’s 23.

Ireland have not said who leads them against Fiji.

Jansen, and a back row losing bodies

Jansen lasted 44 minutes against Argentina before hurting his knee early in the second half, and Josh van der Flier came on for him. The 27-year-old had made his Ireland debut against Japan in the summer.

He has gone back to Connacht for rehabilitation, and Ulster’s David McCann trains with the squad in his place.

Caelan Doris and Jack Conan were already out for all of November, The Irish Times notes. Now Van der Flier, Jansen’s replacement, is being watched with an ankle problem. Management are hopeful he and Baloucoune, who had cramp, will both be available.

The counter-case: the list is shorter than it looks

Bundee Aki, a late withdrawal through illness before Argentina, is due back in full training on Tuesday.

Mack Hansen also played down the ankle he hurt on Friday, according to The Irish Times, and he was not in Monday’s medical bulletin. If Ireland had to lose their captain for one of these two weeks, Fiji is the week they would choose.

“If we’re talking about being consistent and putting out good performances, we have to reset,” Fogarty said of the week ahead.

What happens next

Andy Farrell names his team to face Fiji at 2pm on Thursday. South Africa follow on 21 November, and the full run is on the Ireland fixtures page.

If Sheehan is cleared on the Wednesday, do you start him against the Springboks three days later?

Read next

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• The change Andy Farrell is open to before the 2027 World Cup
• The Paris Test Ireland’s next opponents play first, and who must win it

Sources: IRFU squad update, RTÉ, The Irish Times; Kelleher’s try from our Ireland v Argentina report.