O’Brien confusion continues

The official line from the Lions camp in Carton House yesterday was that Sean O’Brien continues to make progress with the knee injury that is threatening his participation in Saturday’s RaboDirect Pro12 final against Ulster.

A quick read between the lines, however, would suggest that the flanker will not play again until the Lions’ third tour appearance, against the Queensland Reds on June 8, after the mixed messages from Warren Gatland and the province on Monday.

Leinster said he was doing just dandy, Gatland said he wouldn’t be good to go until the Brisbane game and then a Lions communique later that night said, hey presto, the guy is coming along great, don’t you know.