The Munster and Ireland hooker, Jerry Flannery, may not be able to play in the opening round of the RBS Six Nations due to an injury sustained on Saturday evening while playing with Munster against Ulster.

Flannery had made a strong comeback after a long injury lay-off but limped off the pitch after Saturday’s game. However, while still on the field he managed to help the team score a bonus point.

He will undergo a scan to determine the severity of the injury. After the match he revealed that calf injury which took him away from Saturday’s game was not the same one that had kept him off the field since October last.

It was expected that Flannery would be chosen for Declan Kidney’s Six Nations squad. Ireland will play their first match in Rome on February 5. Following that they will play France on February 13 at the Aviva Stadium followed a game against Scotland on February 27.

Flannery, who is still on crutches, will also miss Munster’s Heineken Cup fixtures again Toulon and the London Irish on January 16 and 22.

Munster coach Tony McGahan said “He's quite upset and everybody is feeling for him. He's worked really hard to get back to where he was, and there's no doubt that he'll get back from this one as well.”