Friday Round-Up

Tuohy extends stay with Ulster

In what has been a busy week for Irish provinces regarding contract extensions and players deciding to leave the Emerald Isle, Ulster are delighted to announce that Dan Tuohy will be staying with them after he signed a contract to keep him at the club until 2018. Tuohy has been at the club since 2009 after making the move from Exeter Chiefs and since then has become a regular starter for Ulster in the second-row.Having lost Johann Muller to retirement last season Tuohy and new signing Franco Van der Merwe have built a good partnership with each other in the second-row and with Ian Henderson still to return from Injury it gives Ulster plenty of options. This also is a big plus for the IRFU who are able to keep an important member of Joe Schmidt’s squad in the country. Tuohy has gone onto make 9 appearance in the green of Ireland and was involved in the first two games of Ireland’s 2014 Six Nations winning side only for a broken arm to end his involvement in the championship.

Launchbury to miss Six Nations

It has been confirmed that Wasps and England lock Joe Launchbury will miss the upcoming Six Nations as he still recovering from neck surgery. Launchbury missed the entire Autumn series with a neck injury before getting surgery to correct a disc problem. This will come as a blow to Stuart Lancaster with Launchbury not expected to play many games this season as he continues his recovery but Wasps coach Dai Young has stated that he should be fit for the start of the World Cup in September. With Launchbury set to miss the Six Nations campaign Bath’s Dave Attwood looks set to continue in the second-row alongside Courtney Lawes.