Paul O'Connell ruled out

Paul O'Connell ruled out of Ireland tour to New Zealand
Ireland second row Paul O'Connell has been ruled out of the upcoming three-match Test series in New Zealand.

O'Connell had been undergoing rehabilitation on a knee injury in London with a view to following the Irish squad down under.

However, the Munster man has failed to progress to the level required to allow him to take an active part in the tour.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/rugby-union/18281143

Bit of a blow for Paul and Ireland.

I'm not too bothered about it to be honest, I think he's been flogged to death for Munster and Ireland for the past 18 months anyways and needs a rest, especially with a Lions tour coming up next season.

It will be good to see how the likes or Ryan and Tuohy go in NZ so it's not the end of the world.

We will be weaker without him but he was never going to be 100%.

In my opinion Mike Ross would be a bigger loss if he does not recover from his injury.

rodders wrote: It will be good disappointing to see how the likes or Ryan and Tuohy DOC go in NZ so it's not the end of the world.

Fixed it for you Rodders.
You don't honestly think Kidney will pick Tuohy over his beloved DOC Do you ?

If Kidney picks DOC I will flip out

NZ also losing experience in the locks and make the new second row combinator with experimental youthful player. So should be a good match up and interesting to see next generations play.

A big loss but young lads like Ryan have shown great form this year.

I agree that injuries to your front row would be far more damaging..

I think Ireland should forget POC, DOC, ROG and maybe BOD and move on and bring in new blood for the next RWC as these guys if not already, will be clapped out. Ireland should push harder of the issue of not having any depth in the front row. Watching the Ospreys play Munster fielding two South African priops and then the Ospreys playing Leinster with another South African in the front row, it is hardly surprising Ireland have problems in the front row clearly demonstrated in the 6N.

Even if POC recovers, I doubt he will be the same player after the re occurrence of his knee injury aginst Ulster.

glamorganalun wrote:I think Ireland should forget POC, DOC, ROG and maybe BOD and move on and bring in new blood for the next RWC as these guys if not already, will be clapped out. Ireland should push harder of the issue of not having any depth in the front row. Watching the Ospreys play Munster fielding two South African priops and then the Ospreys playing Leinster with another South African in the front row, it is hardly surprising Ireland have problems in the front row clearly demonstrated in the 6N.

Even if POC recovers, I doubt he will be the same player after the re occurrence of his knee injury aginst Ulster.

Ireland are reducing the number of NIQ players in their provinces and I imagine we'll see some new centres and Madigan at 10 in next seasons 6N's

This has been on the cards since the Ulster game so I doubt it's that big a blow for the Irish camp, they'd have been braced for it by now. And it's a chance to look towards the future and give the young guns a run. It may be against the toughest side out there but sometimes getting thrown in at the deep end does you good.

Wish I could watch this. Ireland-All Blacks tests rarely miss the mark on entertainment and top-notch rugby.