Eoin Reddan: Needed oxygen before being taken off the field during Ireland's draw with France

Substitute scrum-half Eoin Reddan has been ruled out for three months after suffering a broken leg during Ireland's Six Nations draw with France.

Reddan fell awkwardly beneath a tackle in the final minute of a compelling 13-13 draw at the Aviva Stadium and was given oxygen before being carried off.

Ireland's injury-depleted ranks were swelled even further by a number of other casualties, with lock Donnacha Ryan damaging his shoulder and centre Luke Marshall sustaining concussion.

Both are doubts to face Italy next Saturday but head coach Declan Kidney, already missing a host of players, refused to complain about his side's misfortune.

"We took a conscious decision that we wouldn't complain about things. Other people are worse off than we are, plus it's such an insult to the lads coming on and having a huge go," Kidney said.

"We're frustrated, but there are lads coming in who have no experience at this level under their belts and are doing such a good job for us.

"On any given day Paul O'Connell, Tommy Bowe, Stephen Ferris and Jonathan Sexton would be in the running for a Lions spot.

"I've never experienced an injury run like this, but you work your way through and I spoke to (captain) Jamie Heaslip about it and we agreed not to complain."

For the third successive match of the championship Ireland let slip victory, having led 13-3 at the interval but Kidney insisted his players' spirit through adversity was to be saluted.

"The players have taken everything that's been thrown at them and just got on with it," he added.

"So to put our foot forward like that and be creating in the way we are doing actually adds to the frustration.

"The players are down, but that's the measure of how much they push themselves and why I stand by them so much.

"In another time the team would be so much stronger for what's happening at the moment."