DUBLIN Nov 7 (Reuters) – Former British and Irish Lions captain Paul O’Connell will sit out Ireland’s international against South Africa on Saturday after a recurrence of a back injury, the Irish Rugby Football Union (IRFU) said on Wednesday.
The Munster lock, dogged by injury in recent years, has played only twice this season. He returned to training at the start of the week but pulled out after suffering a “reaction”, the IRFU said in a statement.
The IRFU did not say whether O’Connell would be available for the Nov. 24 international at home to Argentina, saying an update would be issued after he sees a specialist.
Ireland were already without captain Brian O’Driscoll, fullback Rob Kearney, flanker Sean O’Brien and hooker Rory Best for the November internationals. (Reporting by Conor Humphries, editing by Ed Osmond)
© Thomson Reuters 2012 All rights reserved
