Steinmetz Out For Rest Of Season

…Ulster’s Paul Steinmetz in Celtic League action…

Ulster back Paul Steinmetz’s bad run of luck with injuries continued on Friday night as he sustained another cheekbone injury against the Cardiff Blues.

The 29-year-old centre/winger was left floored by a shoulder charge challenge by the Blues’ Tongan flanker Maama Molitika during the first half of Ulster’s 26-17 Celtic League win at Ravenhill.

A visit to a specialist on Monday confirmed that the Kiwi, whose one New Zealand cap came against Wales in 2002, had fractured his left cheekbone – meaning he is out for the remainder of the season.

Steinmetz was only returning to the fray after a six week lay-off for a similar injury. He suffered a depressed fracture of his right cheekbone against the Newport Gwent Dragons in March.

Ulster, who sit second in the League table – four points behind Leinster with a game in hand, have fixtures to follow against the Borders (May 12, Ravenhill) and Llanelli (May 19, Stradey Park) and the Ospreys (May 26/27/28, Liberty Stadium).

The luckless Steinmetz, who has scored 37 points (1 try, 1 conversion and 10 penalties) in 11 League outings this season, also fractured his jaw against Edinburgh last September.