The Six Nations wounds have not yet healed.
The scrummaging form of Cian Healy, Mike Ross and co. may not mean a jot in Marseille this Sunday, following the appointment of Wayne Barnes as referee for Leinster’s Champions Cup semi-final against Toulon.
The English referee will take charge of the Irish province’s final four encounter, while George Clancy will ref the Saracen’s semi against Clermont Auvergne.
This will be the third semi-final Barnes will oversee. His first Heineken Cup game involved Ulster, back in 2006.
Barnes has previous with Irish rugby supporters. He yellow-carded Stephen Ferris and awarded Wales a last-minute penalty as Ireland’s lost 23-21 in 2012.
Only last month, he pinged Ireland for breakdown infringements in the Six Nations defeat to Wales only to let the Welsh away with countless infractions in the second-half.
He did ref Leinster’s Heineken Cup semi-final win over Clermont, in 2012, however.
As for his refereeing of the scrum, Barnes’ indecision and wanton disregard for forward Irish momentum upset fans on this isle, and our very own Uncle Scrum.
