Ireland’s preparations for the first Test against New Zealand have been disrupted after replacement tighthead prop Finlay Bealham tested positive for Covid and was thus ruled out of the game. As a consequence, Cian Healy switches to number 17 and Tom O’Toole has been added to the bench.
As an aside, the connecting flight from Doha which was bringing late call-up Ed Byrne (and many fans including Josh van Der Flier’s parents) has been delayed only by an estimated 11 hours, meaning they will land in Auckland after the match.
With Byrne unable to take part in the warm-up, the former Leinster prop Michael Bent, who now plays with Taranaki, was brought in as one of the additional players.
However, it’s doubtful that Bent has played in the last 12 months.
Flash of inspiration from Amad casts Amorim’s dropping of Rashford and Garnacho as a masterstroke
Unbreakable, a cautionary tale about the heavy toll top-level rugby can take
The top 25 women’s sporting moments of the year: top spot revealed with Katie Taylor, Rhasidat Adeleke and Kellie Harrington featuring
Irish WWE star Lyra Valkyria: ‘At its core, we’re storytellers. Everything comes down to good versus evil’
Meanwhile, although the IRFU have yet to confirm it, James Hume will be returning home after sustaining a torn groin in the midweek game against the Maori All Blacks and his Ulster teammate Stuart McCloskey has been called up as a midfield replacement.
