Toner to miss rest of Six Nations following ankle surgery

Ireland will be without Devin Toner for the rest of the Six Nations after the lock underwent ankle surgery.

The Leinster forward did the damage in the second half of the defending champions’ 32-20 defeat to England at the Aviva Stadium last weekend. 

Toner will play no further part in Ireland’s bid to retain their title after going under the knife.

The 32-year-old is also a doubt for Leinster’s European Rugby Champions Cup quarter-final against Ulster on March 30.

Ireland captain Rory Best said: “It’s a massive blow. Devin has been a big part of what we’ve created here over the last while and he’s a great player.

“I would say that over the last 18 months or two years he’s probably played some of the best rugby of his career, so to lose a player like that, the intellectual property that he brings around the line-out and the calmness that he has is a great thing to have around the team environment.

“So, he’ll be a loss, as any great player is, but when these things happen it gives an opportunity for somebody else and I thought Quinn Roux was great when he came on. He showed a lot of physicality and he’s been playing very well for Connacht – this is going to be a massive opportunity for him.

“It’s also going to be a massive opportunity for James Ryan to also lead in that second row.”

Sean O’Brien sat out the training run ahead of Saturday’s clash with Scotland at Murrayfield, but the flanker – who recently returned from a spell out with a broken arm – is expected to be fit to start.

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