Is it the ideal time of the season for injuries ?

Is this the right time for injuries ?

I ask this because, if we are going into a 6 nations tournament in effort to win or at least have a positive outcome, we have to have our best players, fit, free of injury and playing consistently well. 

Earlier on this season, there was the Autumn internationals. In Ireland's last against Argentina, with Sean O'Brien, Stephen Ferris, Brian O'Driscoll, Paul O'Connel and Rob Kearney being some of the most important players on the squad. This didn't make a difference to the score though. (winning 46-24) They didn't interrupt our brief 2 match winning streak. . This was a resting chance for the injured and key players a chance of more time to recover. Club rugby will have to wait, as the 6 Nations will be a bigger commitment. Brian O'Driscoll's expected return is the beginning-mid January. Sean O'Brien made a quick enough recovery from his hip operation to play for Leinster soon after. Stephen Ferris caught an ankle injury in a match for Ulster against Edinburgh. Paul O'Connel is to receive a specialist's review of his lower back injury, in effort to forecast his return to rugby. Rob Kearney missed the whole autumn series due to his back injury. He is expected to be absent from rugby for another month to 6 weeks.

My guess in how we are going to do in the 6 nations will be good, having Wales in Cardiff wont be an easy match however I think, given we have a consistent side, with a strong backline we will win. England at home will not be an easy win. Considering O'Driscoll will be back at this stage, we need an experienced center to contest against Manu Tuilagi . We have to consider that we're very lucky to have them at home. Again our next fixture away is to Scotland, which is lucky as they haven't got a particularly strong or ambitious side. We will win this fixture without a doubt. The next match against France will undoubtedly be the hardest of them all . However we are really lucky again to have it at home. I cant say we will win this however, I am saying we have a chance. The match will be very unpredictable. And Italy in the Olympic stadium will be depending alot on how the previous 2 or 3 matches are played, and players that are injured.