O’Kelly’s Lions misery as tour comes to premature end

Simon Lewis, Auckland

The 30-year-old lock, Ireland’s most capped player with 73 caps, was given the bad news following a visit to a specialist in Auckland yesterday after Lions team doctor James Robson sought a second opinion.

That came from a New Zealand doctor who decided the lower abdominal injury would not heal in time for O’Kelly to make a contribution to the Lions’ 11-match tour.