Ireland lose key player for SA tour

INJURY UPDATE: Ireland will be without one of their key leaders when they head to South Africa to take on the Springboks in July.

Ireland lock and Ulster captain Iain Henderson will miss the tour to South Africa after undergoing toe surgery.

Ulster confirmed the news on their official website.

The province revealed that the Ulster captain has been ruled out for the rest of the season and will be unavailable for the United Rugby Championship Round 17 clash against Leinster.

"Iain Henderson had toe surgery [on Monday].

"He is now expected to be sidelined for approximately three months." The statement read.

With 81 caps for his country, Henderson's injury is a big setback for Ireland head coach Andy Farrell.

The back-to-back Six Nations champions will play two Test matches against the Springboks on July 6 in Pretoria and July 13 in Durban.