IRISH MISSING O’CONNELL
Ireland lock Paul O’Connell and hooker Rory Best were ruled out of their team’s end-of-season rugby tour of New Zealand and Australia on Friday because of injury – they’ll have to watch from the England Rugby Hospitality zone instead.
British and Irish Lions captain O’Connell has a groin injury that has not responded sufficiently to intravenous antibiotics and Best has an ankle problem.
The duo are replaced in coach Declan Kidney’s 33-man squad by the uncapped pair of Ed O’Donoghue and John Fogarty.