Tour over for injured Henderson as Aki named captain for Maori clash

Iain Henderson has been ruled out of Ireland's tour of New Zealand due to a knee injury, with the Ulster captain now set to return home.

The 30-year-old's injury-hit season took a final blow when he picked up a knee injury in preparation for this week's first Test with the All Blacks in Auckland, with a scan revealing a more long term issue which will rule him out of the series.

Henderson will return to Ireland this week, although there are no plans as of yet to call up a replacement, with Tadhg Beirne now set to partner James Ryan in the second row for Saturday's first Test.

Overnight, head coach Andy Farrell named his team for tomorrow's first tour match against the Maori All Blacks, with New Zealand native Bundee Aki to captain the side from inside centre.

The Connacht man will lead out a largely inexperienced Ireland XV in the non-cap game at FMG Stadium in Hamilton, home of Super Rugby's Chiefs, whom Aki played for prior to his move to Ireland in 2014.

Of the starting XV only Aki (below), Keith Earls and Jordan Larmour have more than 10 Test caps to their name, with the uncapped Jimmy O'Brien starting at full-back, one of five uncapped players starting.

Leinster's Ciarán Frawley has been named at out-half, despite the 24-year-old having had limited exposure to the position, with Harry Byrne believed to have picked up a hamstring strain. Frawley partners Craig Casey in the half-backs, while Ulster's James Hume completes the backline in the 13 shirt.

Up front, Munster's uncapped Jeremy Loughman starts at loosehead, along Dave Heffernan and Tom O'Toole as expected, while Joe McCarthy's rapid rise continues, the 21-year-old linking up with Ulster's Kiernan Treadwell in the second row.

Cian Prendergast, Nick Timoney and Gavin