O’Kelly’s Lions tour exit is ‘gut wrenching’

EDDIE O’SULLIVAN has described the premature end to Malcolm O’Kelly’s British & Irish Lions tour as “gut-wrenching.”

It was, perhaps, an unfortunate phrase to employ, given that the injury the Leinster and Ireland lock had suffered was in the lower abdominal region, but his national coach was nonetheless heartfelt in expressing his sympathy.

O’Sullivan was speaking in Rotorua yesterday as part of the coaching team which prepared this morning’s Lions side for their opening tour game against Bay Of Plenty.

O’Kelly was due to take a place on the bench before the verdict of a specialist doctor in Auckland on Thursday confirmed Lions doctor James Robson’s fears that the Irishman would not play a part in the tour.

“It’s a pretty gut-wrenching break for him,” O’Sullivan said.

“I think we should remember that Malcolm was on the last Lions tour to Australia and by his own admission he didn’t acquit himself well. He came off it very disappointed and he learned a lot from that.

“I think, to his credit, he’s built his game over the last four years and those four years of hard work have culminated in him coming on this tour.

“Your heart has to go out to him because it would be hard to imagine another opportunity for a Lions tour coming his way again, given his age profile.”

O’Sullivan went on to defend the decision to bring out England second row Simon Shaw as O’Kelly’s replacement, rather than the assumed lock stand-by, Brent Cockbain of Wales.

“It was just a question of horses for courses. You’ve got to make these decisions on selection based on who you think is the best for the job,” he said.