Taylor's tour over before it starts

Simon Taylor

Simon Taylor's rugby tour of New Zealand has ended without the Lions loose forward taking the field.

It was confirmed today that Scotsman Taylor will head home because of a hamstring injury sustained before the tourists arrived last month.

He had been named to make his first tour appearance against New Zealand Maori in Hamilton last night, a game the Lions lost 13-19.

However, the injury forced him to withdraw ahead of the match and Lions head coach Sir Clive Woodward said today Taylor had been withdrawn from the tour.

"Obviously I am massively disappointed that my tour has ended this way," Taylor said from the Lions' base in Auckland.

Taylor, 25, was sidelined for a lengthy period last season due to a ligament injury.

"I thought that I had a lot to offer this time round especially having fought so hard to come back from injury over the past season.

"You have to be philosophical about these things, move on, concentrate on getting right.

"It is not a long-term injury but with only a few weeks left of the Lions tour there are just no guarantees that it would be right in time."

Woodward said Taylor would be missed.

"Simon is a class player, and I feel for him but he has the character to come back from this and we wish him well in his recovery."

Welsh loose forward Ryan Jones was last Friday named to join the tourists to cover for Taylor.

Lions management calculated Taylor's rehabilitation programme would keep him sidelined for at least another two weeks.

- NZPA