Paul O’Connell to miss New Zealand tour – Rugby News Update
Paul O’Connell, the 32-year-old Munster and Ireland lock has been ruled out of the three-match tour of New Zealand this summer.
This was confirmed by the Ireland team management, and the mercurial lock’s ability will be missed by the team for the gruelling tour of the southern hemisphere. Ireland was hoping that the lock would be able to recover in time for the tour, as he was nursing
a knee injury. Initial diagnosis suggested that he would be fit, but his rehabilitation has taken longer than expected. In his place Connacht's Mike McCarthy will travel with the team to face the All Blacks.
O’Connell was an established swimmer in his youth but he opted to play rugby later, representing the Irish Schools at rugby 1997-98. He was signed for Munster and after earning his debut, was called up for the Ireland squad in 2002 against Wales at Lansdowne
Road, Feb 3.
His impressive showings for the Irish earned him his first British and Irish Lions' call up to tour New Zealand in 2005. He played every single minute of the tour, except for being sin-binned for ten minutes.
He has represented Ireland 85 times, starting 79 of those games, and coming on as a substitute a further 6 times. With O’Connell in the team, Ireland wins 60% of their games. For a lock, he has scored 6 tries.
Having toured New Zealand before, and being an important member of the team, his absence will be surely felt by the team in the southern hemisphere.
Ireland squad:
Forwards: Rory Best (Ulster), Sean Cronin (Leinster), Declan Fitzpatrick (Ulster), Cian Healy (Leinster), Jamie Heaslip (Leinster), Chris Henry (Ulster), Ronan Loughney (Connacht), Kevin McLaughlin (Leinster), Mike McCarthy (Connacht), Sean O'Brien (Leinster),
Donnacha O'Callaghan (Munster), Peter O'Mahony (Munster), Mike Ross (Leinster), Donnacha Ryan (Munster), Mike Sherry (Munster), Dan Tuohy (Ulster), Brett Wilkinson (Connacht)
Backs: Darren Cave (Ulster), Gordon D'Arcy (Leinster), Keith Earls (Munster), Rob Kearney (Leinster), Paul Marshall (Ulster), Fergus McFadden (Leinster), Conor Murray (Munster), Brian O'Driscoll (Leinster), Ronan O'Gara (Munster), Eoin Reddan (Leinster),
Jonathan Sexton (Leinster), Andrew Trimble (Ulster), Simon Zebo (Munster)
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