O’Connell to travel despite injured knee

Paul O’Connell will definitely travel to New Zealand in a bid to participate in the three-Test series against the world champion All Blacks.

The Munster captain is spending the week in London, rehabilitating the knee injury he suffered on May 5 against Ulster. He was given a four-to six-week recovery period, for which the upper limit is due to end on June 16, the day of the second Test in Christchurch.

Ireland head coach Declan Kidney has left a vacancy at lock in his 29-man squad, which will be finalised tomorrow but O’Connell has been told he will be heading to New Zealand.