Lions call-up 'bizarre' after Doris injury - Gibson-Park
Jamison Gibson-Park admits his British and Irish Lions call-up felt "bizarre" in the wake of Leinster's Investec Champions Cup exit and team-mate Caelan Doris' injury. New Zealand-born scrum-half Gibson-Park was one of 15 Ireland players named in Andy Farrell's 38-man Lions squad earlier this month. However, the squad was named just five days after Leinster's shock semi-final loss to Northampton Saints, a game in which Ireland captain Doris sustained the injury that ended his hopes of making the tour to Australia. "It was bizarre, to tell you the truth, it was an emotional rollercoaster," said Gibson-Park, reflecting on Lions squad announcement week. "There's plenty going on, Caelan probably being the biggest one. It was unbelievably tough on him."He's been such a great player for club and country. He's had an unbelievable run with injuries and it's just the cruelty of the game sometimes."We were sickened for him, but in the same breath there's something there to celebrate. It was a pretty strange week."
'I'm looking forward to getting stuck in'
Leinster beat Glasgow on Saturday evening to set up a home United Rugby Championship quarter-final against Scarlets on 31 May.But while Leo Cullen's side remain in the hunt for a ninth domestic title, their wait for a first Champions Cup since 2018 was extended in gut-wrenching fashion on 3 May when Northampton edged a riveting semi-final 37-34 at Aviva Stadium. Having also lost three successive finals before this season, Gibson-Park admitted the team's mood was "fairly bleak" following the Northampton game. "You have to suck it up, take the learnings and move on," said the 33-year-old, who has 43 Ireland caps. The Lions squad assembled for the first time in London on Sunday ahead of this summer's tour. Farrell's side will take on Argentina in Dublin on 20 June before travelling to Australia, with Tests against Joe Schmidt's Wallabies on 19 July, 26 July and 2 August. Gibson-Park, who has been a pivotal figure in Farrell's Ireland team since making his debut in 2020, is the favourite to wear the Lions nine jersey. Wales' Tomos Williams and England's Alex Mitchell are the other two scrum-halves in the squad. "I'm looking forward to getting stuck in," said two-time Six Nations winner Gibson-Park."A couple of unbelievable players, massive parts of the teams they play on. It will be awesome to spend some time with them and pick their brains."I wasn't really in the mix last time (the 2021 Lions tour to South Africa). I was a little bit far away."Once I started getting a bit more exposure at international level, it became a little bit real. From then on it's a massive aspiration. It's a cool thing to be able to say."
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