DUBLIN : Ireland prop Tadhg Furlong has been ruled out of Saturday’s Six Nations opener against England after suffering a recurrence of a calf strain in training, the Irish Rugby Football Union (IRFU) said on Sunday.
Furlong, 32, missed Ireland’s series of games in November through injury, and had only returned to action for Leinster two weeks ago. He has travelled home to Dublin from Ireland’s training base in Portugal for further assessment, the IRFU said.
Uncapped prop Jack Aungier has been called up to the squad in Furlong’s place while his Connacht teammate, Finlay Bealham, looks likely to start when Ireland get their championship defence under way at the Aviva Stadium on Saturday.
In better news for Ireland, hooker Dan Sheehan was named man of the match and scored two tries for Leinster on Saturday in his comeback from an ACL injury.
He joined the Irish squad on Sunday alongside winger James Lowe, who also came through his return from injury unscathed.
