Warren Gatland effectively ruled Sean O’Brien out of Leinster’s RaboDirect Pro 12 final against Ulster on Saturday when he said the Ireland flanker would not be fit for the British and Irish Lions for at least another two weeks.

Amongst his many titles, Eanna Falvey is Director of Sports Medicine at the Sports Surgery Clinic in Santry and team medic to the Irish rugby team. This summer, the Corkman will travel to Australia as assistant Tour doctor with the Lions.

There will be no Irish staff in the backroom team for the British and Irish Lions tour to Australia next summer.

Scotland wing Lee Jones is making “good progress” following the head injury which forced him from the field in last night’s 32-14 RBS 6 Nations loss to Ireland in Dublin, team doctor James Robson has said.

Scotland wing Rory Lamont is facing three to four months of rehabilitation after undergoing surgery on his broken leg.

Flanker Alasdair Strokosch could miss the rest of Scotland's RBS 6 Nations campaign with a fractured hand, the Scottish Rugby Union have announced.

Back-row forward Kelly Brown was said to be in good spirits after being forced off with a head knock at Twickenham, and will be assessed daily until the visit of Italy.

Joe Ansbro, Hugo Southwell and Rory Lamont have all been ruled out of Scotland’s RBS 6 Nations clash against Ireland on Sunday.

Scotland and Edinburgh fly-half Phil Godman has been ruled out of rugby for at least six months after suffering a serious knee injury in training, the Scottish Rugby Union announced today.

Scotland winger Thom Evans has returned from Wales to continue his recuperation from two neck operations.

Nathan Hines and Alasdair Strokosch today handed Scotland a much-needed fitness boost ahead of next Saturday’s RBS 6 Nations game in Italy.

ANDY POWELL’s involvement in the RBS Six Nations is effectively over after Wales reacted to his charge for drink driving by dropping him from their squad.

SCOTLAND team doctor James Robson has confirmed Thom Evans, Chris Paterson and Rory Lamont will miss the rest of the Six Nations after all suffered serious injuries in Saturday’s dramatic defeat by Wales in Cardiff.

Scotland team doctor James Robson has confirmed Thom Evans, Chris Paterson and Rory Lamont will miss the rest of the RBS 6 Nations after all suffered serious injuries during yesterday’s dramatic 31-24 defeat against Wales in Cardiff.

Scotland full-back Chris Paterson could miss the rest of this season’s RBS 6 Nations Championship after suffering kidney damage during yesterday’s defeat against Wales.

Scotland wing Thom Evans has undergone neck surgery after being injured in today’s RBS 6 Nations clash against Wales at the Millennium Stadium.

Northampton Saints flanker Scott Gray was called into the Scotland training squad as they began their preparations for the RBS 6 Nations today.

THE IRFU’s former fitness and conditioning coach Mike McGurn has blasted rugby’s obsession with bulking up and claimed that academy systems were producing ‘robots’ who ‘have no game management skills.’

BRITISH and Irish Lions doctor James Robson believes the shape of rugby players will have to start changing after the most physical Test series he has ever experienced.

Stephen Jones urged the British and Irish Lions to produce one final push and end their tour of South Africa on a high with victory over the Springboks in Saturday’s third and final Test.

DR James Robson yesterday described the second Test against South Africa as “brutal” after it left five of the British and Irish Lions in hospital.

Doctor James Robson described yesterday’s second Test against South Africa as “brutal” after it left five of the British and Irish Lions in hospital.

British and Irish Lions props Gethin Jenkins and Adam Jones have both been ruled out of next weekend’s third Test against South Africa.

THE Lions are hopeful that James Hook will be passed fit ahead of tomorrow’s clash with the Emerging Springboks in Cape Town.

Ireland's Robert Kearney could be in line for a starting place in the Lions second Test against South Africa next Saturday.

The 2009 British and Irish Lions have been described as “better organised and better managed” than their immediate predecessors four years ago in New Zealand.

Brian O’Driscoll and Jamie Roberts will reprise their destructive centre partnership when the Lions tackle the Sharks in Durban on Wednesday.

Wales wing Leigh Halfpenny is anxious for a quick return to duty after what he admitted was a “frustrating” British and Irish Lions debut.

KEITH EARLS has been praised for his phenomenal powers of recovery in overcoming an injury that could have ended his Lions tour.

KEITH EARLS may want to forget the day he first donned the famous & Lions jersey, but backs coach Rob Howley is expecting the bitter-sweet experience to make the young Irishman a much better player.

Keith Earls looked set to be ruled out of contention for the British & Irish Lions' second tour game on Wednesday.

Scotland captain Mike Blair is winning his battle to be fit for Saturday’s RBS 6 Nations clash with England.

ALUN-WYN JONES will make his debut as Wales captain next week — and he could keep the job for a potential RBS 6 Nations title showdown against Ireland.

Scotland lock Jim Hamilton will receive treatment this week for the shoulder injury which forced him out of the RBS Six Nations game against France at the weekend.

Edinburgh prop Geoff Cross was today handed his Scotland debut for the RBS Six Nations opener against Wales after Euan Murray failed to recover from injury.

Scotland full-back Chris Paterson has not yet been ruled out of Saturday’s final autumn international against Canada, despite the facial injury which forced him off during the defeat to South Africa.

Scotland’s scrum-half crisis eased today following positive reports on the fitness of Rory Lawson and Mark McMillan.

Rob Howley’s coaching career will continue to flourish with the Lions next year, and the former scrum-half admits he is still pinching himself at his rapid rise.

“A HUGE honour and extremely humbling” — that is how former Ireland and current Wales head coach, Warren Gatland, described his appointment as British and Irish Lions forwards coach yesterday for the 2009 Tour to South Africa.

British & Irish Lions tour manager Gerald Davies and head coach Ian McGeechan announced the coaching and key backroom staff for the 2009 tour to South Africa in Dublin today.

Full-back Rory Lamont has been ruled out of Scotland’s final RBS 6 Nations clash against Italy after breaking a bone in his face in the victory over England.

A member of Scotland’s RBS 6 Nations squad has failed a drugs test.

CARDIFF BLUES winger Jamie Roberts will make his Wales debut in Saturday’s RBS 6 Nations Championship clash with Scotland after head coach Warren Gatland made three changes to the side that beat England last weekend.

Scotland coach Frank Hadden was handed a significant boost as he wrestles with the most important selection of his tenure when Andy Henderson was cleared to face Wales.