Strudwick injury may force Exiles into transfer market

Ryan Strudwick, the London Irish captain who played all 22 Premiership games last season, will not enjoy anywhere near as profitable a campaign this term.

The versatile South African forward from Pietermaritzburg, by common consent the most influential forward at a club short on star quality, will miss three months of rugby after tearing ligaments in his ankle during the convincing victory over Newcastle at the Madejski Stadium on Sunday.

Strudwick's absence will not help the Exiles one little bit. Irish have been struggling in the second row department for some time – Steve Williams' departure for Northampton and the injury problems suffered by his replacement, Bob Casey, have put additional strain on the ever-willing skipper – and the grim news from the medical staff may prompt a move in the transfer market. The Powergen Cup holders are still in with a shout of defending that title, but have yet to fully extricate themselves from the Premiership relegation mire.

Strudwick will be in plaster for at least a month, and is likely to need another eight weeks of rehabilitation. He will definitely miss the Heineken Cup matches against Edinburgh and Toulouse, the Powergen quarter-final with Rotherham and, in all probability, five Premiership games, including important fixtures at home to Harlequins and away to Saracens.

Sarries, who travel to Leicester this weekend in the hope of capitalising on a run of victories over Sale, Leeds and the French club Colomiers in three different competitions, are awaiting a final physiotherapist's call on Thomas Castaignède, their rejuvenated Tricolore international. Castaignède pulled a quad muscle last weekend and will undergo a fitness test during today's training session at Southgate.

One of the longer running injury episodes of the season, the strange affair of Mike Catt's hamstring, shows little sign of reaching a conclusion. The England centre was expected to play some part in the Premiership match with Harlequins last weekend, but was not named in the squad when push came to shove. The Bath coaching team then hinted that he would play his first game since November at Leeds tomorrow night, but have now decided that he requires at least another seven days of treatment before returning to the fray.

"We thought Mike would be right for this game, but he has not come good," said Michael Foley, the co-coach. "He will probably be fine for next week's Parker Pen Challenge Cup quarter-final in Montauban, but there is still a possibility that his hamstring will tighten up. Whether we take him on the plane remains to be seen." Foley has also decided to hold back Dan Lyle, the American loose forward, for another week. Lyle picked up a shoulder injury during the defeat by Bristol at the Recreation Ground on 24 November, and while he is close to full fitness, Nathan Thomas' outstanding form at No 8 has minimised the need for a rush job.