Rugby: Shaw Flies Out After O'kelly Forced Home

Simon Shaw will arrive in New Zealand tomorrow to reinforce the Lions pack after a tour-ending injury to Malcolm O'Kelly, who will return home after aggravating a long-standing groin problem.

An Auckland-based specialist who examined O'Kelly yesterday found that Ireland's most capped player had a more serious injury than had been initially diagnosed, leaving Sir Clive Woodward with little option but to send for the 32-year-old Shaw for the second time in 19 months.

The big Wasps lock was also summoned late to England's 2003 World Cup campaign in Australia as a replacement for Danny Grewcock and won a World Cup winner's medal without stepping on to a pitch. But has less happy memories of his trip to the southern hemisphere a year ago, when he was controversially sent off for kneeing Keith Robinson only 12 minutes into the second Test against the All Blacks at Eden Park.

Shaw, a Lion in South Africa in 1997, becomes the third Englishman to be added to the original squad of 44 named by Woodward in April. His joy, however, was tempered with natural sympathy for O'Kelly who, like England's full-back Iain Balshaw, failed to play any competitive part in the tour.

"I am absolutely delighted but feel for Mal and wish him well in his recovery," said Shaw, who had been preparing to play in Martin Johnson's testimonial match at Twickenham tomorrow night.

"To be honest it is all just sinking in but it will be fantastic to get out there and I am looking forward to the challenge that we will face in New Zealand."

Woodward said the specialist had advised there was "no chance" of O'Kelly being fit to play in the foreseeable future. The Leinster lock, who was hurt in a training session in Wales before the squad's departure, took the grim news philosophically.

"I have had this problem for a while but had managed to keep it at bay," he said. "It is as well just to accept it and go home, and let the coaches and players get on with the job of trying to win the series."