Connacht hopeful Carty injury not as serious as first feared

Updated 17.30

CONNACHT ARE HOPEFUL that Jack Carty’s injury is not as serious as initially believed today.

The province’s last 10 standing was replaced after just 30 minutes of the Pro12 loss to Ospreys this afternoon, with Sky Sports’ early report suggesting that the Roscommon man had injured his anterior cruciate ligament.

Pat Lam’s squad have been thoroughly ravaged by injury during this campaign, particularly at out-half where new signing Marnitz Boshoff, Shane O’Leary and playmaking centre Craig Ronaldson have all been ruled out for lengthy periods.

Back-up scrum-half Caolin Blade stepped in to the 10 position with all four out-halves of action.

However, the province have since suggested that the injury may not as bad as first feared, describing as ‘speculation’ the original report from the tournament broadcaster.

Lam this week revealed that he had attempted to re-recruit his son Mitch, an out-half who had represented Galwegians and Connacht Eagles this season, but the ‘no charge’ option was rejected by the IRFU.