Paul O’Connell has been ruled out of Ireland’s tour to New Zealand after the Munster second row failed to recover from a knee injury. The Irish management had indicated that a decision would be deferred until tomorrow but O’Connell has failed to respond to treatment in London.
O’Connell, who captained Ireland in the absence of Brian O’Driscoll during the Six Nations, has already been replaced in the squad by Connacht’s Mike McCarthy. The panel travelled to New Zealand this morning without O’Connell while Stephen Ferris and Isaac Boss are also missing through injury.
“O'Connell had been undergoing rehabilitation on a knee injury in London with a view to following the Ireland squad out to New Zealand,” the IRFU explained this morning, “but he has failed to progress to the level required to allow him take an active part in the tour.”
Mike Ross and Sean O’Brien both travelled carrying knocks but coach Declan Kidney is hopeful the Leinster duo will be fit for the first test against the All Blacks on June 9th. Ireland also meet the world champions on June 16th and 23rd.
Kidney confirmed added McCarthy and Connacht prop Ronan Loughney to the panel yesterday while Ulster scrumhalf Paul Marshall was drafted in to replace the unfortunate Boss.
Kidney explained his decision to enlarge the travelling party, saying: “The extra players are cover. If you talk about props, there would be a small doubt about Mike Ross and you don’t want to wake up the morning of a Test match with three fit props; any illness or injury then and you’re going to be short (of adequate cover).
“So, Ronan (Loughney), as you saw last night, plays both sides and in Mike’s (McCarthy) case, there are three fit second rows. There might still be a doubt about Paul (O’Connell). So, we have three hookers, so we’re alright there; five back-rows so we’re okay there and three scrum-halves, so we do the best we can. There are tour agreements but the union understood the need for the extra players.”
Ireland squad: D Cave (Ulster), G D’Arcy (Leinster), K Earls (Munster), R Kearney (Leinster), P Marshall (Ulster), F McFadden (Leinster), C Murray (Munster), B O’Driscoll (Leinster, capt), R O’Gara (Munster), E Reddan (Leinster), J Sexton (Leinster), A Trimble (Ulster), S Zebo (Munster); R Best (Ulster), S Cronin (Leinster), D Fitzpatrick (Ulster), C Healy (Leinster), J Heaslip (Leinster), C Henry (Ulster), R Loughney (Connacht), K McLaughlin (Leinster), M McCarthy (Connacht), S O’Brien (Leinster), D O’Callaghan (Munster), P O’Mahony (Munster), M Ross (Leinster), D Ryan (Munster), M Sherry (Munster), D Tuohy (Ulster), B Wilkinson (Connacht)
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