Halvey forced home

EDDIE HALVEY is out of the Irish Development tour in New Zealand and will return home on Tuesday. Halvey was briefly detained in hospital after picking up an acute gastric problem, which will require medication and rest.

The Irish management team have not yet discussed the option of calling up either a direct or indirect replacement. Halvey is the sixth international to have been withdrawn from the original squad.

"It is a bad blow for us, and it is very unlucky on him too in fairness," admitted Whelan.

Against that, it is anticipated that David Humphreys will recover from his sprained ankle to be considered for the remainder of the tour, as is the case with squad captain Gary Halpin.