Gordon D’Arcy suffers the cruellest cut from Ireland rugby squad

Gordon D’Arcy’s Ireland career appears at an end after the 81-cap Test veteran was excluded from Joe Schmidt’s squad for the remaining rounds of the Six Nations.

The news arrived via email in cold, business-like fashion yesterday with D’Arcy’s name omitted from the Ireland panel that will attempt to claim a Grand Slam title by defeating Wales and Scotland.

Considering the impressive impact made by Robbie Henshaw in the Irish No 12 shirt this season it is no surprise that D’Arcy, now 35, has been made redundant.