Ireland has suffered a big blow ahead of its Six Nations title defense with prop Tadhg Furlong ruled out through injury for the team’s opener against England.

Tadhg Furlong has been ruled out of Ireland’s Six Nations opener against England next Saturday after suffering a recurrence of his calf injury in training. It is a fresh blow to the Lions prop who missed all four games of the November schedule with hamstring and calf issues and only returned for Leinster in their win over La Rochelle three weeks’