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Kearney brothers ruled out of Ireland’s trip to South Africa

While many will welcome the addition of the in form Healy and O’Halloran, it leaves Joe Schmidt with a very inexperienced squad with which to tour South Africa.

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Whether that’s enough, we’ll find out on the 11th, 18th and 25th of June.

Leinster’s Sexton was injured during Saturday’s 20-10 Pro12 final defeat by Connacht.

He is expected to be out for around 12 weeks, with Ian Madigan likely to get the call up to replace him.

Schmidt will confirm any absences and replacement call-ups at a press conference this afternoon.

Craig Gilroy and Matt Healy have also been added to Schmidt’s Ireland group as replacements for Dave Kearney and Luke Fitzgerald, who was ruled out earlier this week.

Dave Kearney picked up a calf strain in the Pro12 Final, while brother Rob pulled up in Ireland training on Wednesday.

The Leinster duo join a lengthy list of absentees, which includes wingers Simon Zebo and Tommy Bowe, and forwards Cian Healy, Denis Buckley, Nathan White, Sean O’Brien, Peter O’Mahony, Josh van der Flier and Andrew Conway.

“When a new coach comes in the established players are going to want to demonstrate that they should be there and deserve the right to remain there, and there’s going to be some new players”.

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“I think whatever we try to do will be in the context of the motivation they have and what they try to put together”.

Luke Fitzgerald ruled out of Ireland's summer tour of South Africa