JERRY FLANNERY’S WORLD Cup is over after he was ruled out of action for four to six weeks with a calf injury.
The Ireland hooker suffered the injury in training on Tuesday morning in Auckland and an MRI has revealed the severity of the tear.
Following Flannery’s withdrawal, Sean Cronin has been named in the replacements for the weekend’s clash with Australia.
A decision has been made to call up Damien Varley of Munster, with the 27-year-old set to arrive in New Zealand by Saturday.
Ireland Team Manager Paul McNaughton said: “Obviously it is particularly disappointing for Jerry to have suffered this injury at this point in the tournament.
“With the fact that he is out for four to six weeks, we needed to make the decision to fly Damien Varley down as soon as possible.
“Sean Cronin will step into the replacements seamlessly this weekend which shows the importance of having experience and depth in the squad.”
