Van der Flier to start for Ireland against All Blacks as Dan Leavy ruled out

JOSH VAN DER Flier will start for Ireland against the All Blacks tomorrow at the Aviva Stadium [KO 7pm, RTÉ/Channel 4] after Dan Leavy was ruled out with injury.

Leavy sat out Ireland’s training session yesterday, with head coach Joe Schmidt citing “full body soreness” as the reason for the openside flanker’s absence.

With Leavy ruled out, van der Flier starts for Ireland.

The Leinster man was named in Ireland’s starting team yesterday but with Leavy also missing today’s captain’s run at the Aviva Stadium, he has now been officially ruled out.

Ireland cited “general tightness” as the reason Leavy misses out, declining to provide further detail.

Leavy’s injury means van der Flier is promoted from the bench into the starting number seven shirt, with Jordi Murphy now included among the replacements.

The injury to Leavy follows Ireland losing Sean O’Brien to a broken arm last weekend against Argentina, denying him the opportunity to face the All Blacks.

Schmidt is also without centre Robbie Henshaw, out with a hamstring injury, and scrum-half Conor Murray, who has still not returned from a neck issue. 

Source: Heineken Rugby Weekly on The42/SoundCloud

– Originally published at 13.00