Rugby-Ireland suffer another frontrow blow as Porter ruled out

FILE PHOTO: Rugby Union - Ireland v New Zealand - Aviva Stadium, Dublin, Ireland - November 17, 2018 Ireland's Andrew Porter (L) applauds the fans at the end of the match REUTERS/Clodagh Kilcoyne

DUBLIN (Reuters) - Prop Andrew Porter became Ireland's second, first choice front row player to be ruled out of the rest of the Six Nations after suffering an ankle injury in last weekend's victory over Italy, the Irish Rugby Football Union (IRFU) said on Thursday.

Porter, 26, has become a key part of Ireland's scrum in the 12 months after switching to loosehead prop from tighthead, forming a mobile and powerful frontrow with Leinster teammates Ronan Kelleher and Tadhg Furlong.