TOMMY BOWE has effectively been ruled out of Ireland’s three-Test tour to New Zealand in June, and has played his last game for the Ospreys, after undergoing surgery in Ireland yesterday for the removal of a haematoma that has pushed into his kidney and caused raised blood pressure. A precise timescale for recovery is unclear, but he is expected to be sidelined for up to four months.

The 28-year-old, who took his tally to 24 tries in 49 Tests with his haul of five in the Six Nations, had been suffering from high blood pressure this season. The Ospreys confirmed yesterday that after testing and extensive consultation with specialists in both Ireland and Wales, “Tommy has opted to go down the route of surgical removal of the haematoma in an effort to solve the problem”.

Bowe is also no doubt mindful of returning to full fitness in time for his return to Ulster next season after four years with the Ospreys, all the more so with a Lions’ tour to follow next year.

“Obviously, this news unfortunately means that I won’t get to wear the Ospreys shirt again,” he said yesterday, “but it is important that I get this problem sorted as soon as possible. Hopefully, the Ospreys will have a home (RaboDirect PRO12) semi-final and final in May so that I can still get down to the Liberty Stadium to say farewell and a big thank you to the supporters.”