Prop Tom Clarkson called up by British & Irish Lions as front row cover in Australia
The Lions said there were no injury issues with the three tightheads they have: Tadhg Furlong, Will Stuart and Finlay Bealham.
Clarkson was summoned only to 'provide additional front row cover,' the Lions said.
The Lions have only four more matches left on tour, the three-test series against Australia beginning next Saturday in Brisbane and a midweek match against a First Nations and Pasifika XV the following week in Melbourne.
Clarkson has eight caps for Ireland and started in the recent tour wins over Georgia and Portugal, against which he scored his first test try.
Clarkson's arrival will increase the number of Leinster players in the Lions squad to 14, and the Ireland contingent to 18.
The Lions have been seeking reinforcements lately. Fellow Ireland and Leinster back Jamie Osborne joined the squad on Sunday, and England hooker Jamie George was on his way from Argentina.
___
AP rugby: https://apnews.com/hub/rugby
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Car and Driver
29 minutes ago
- Car and Driver
Travis Pastrana and Rhianon Gelsomino Teach Us the Art of Co-Driving
Colin McRae, Tommi Makinen, Walter Rohrl. Motorsports fans are familiar with those legendary names. But while rally drivers receive the fame and glory, they don't do it alone. Seated beside them as they slide across loose gravel, launch over jumps, and rocket through dense forests are the co-drivers. These underappreciated motorsports heroes allow those brave drivers to navigate tricky rally stages at full speed. To learn more about what it takes to be a co-driver, we talked with Rhianon Gelsomino, co-driver for Subaru's Travis Pastrana, before strapping in next to the American daredevil for a ride through the tight and twisty rally course at the Goodwood Festival of Speed in the Subaru WRX ARA25. There are many paths to becoming a co-driver. Some, like Gelsomino, grow up in a rally-driving family and learn through immersion. "My dad was actually one of Australia's best rally drivers," Gelsomino told us as we waited to clamber into the WRX ARA25. "So I've come up with rally in my life, and my two brothers are rally drivers as well." When her family needed someone to call out the notes for their races, she took the opportunity to ride shotgun. Others train specifically for the job. Her husband, Alex Gelsomino, served as the late Ken Block's co-driver for 17 years and perfected his skills through a rally co-driver school in Italy as a teenager. Rhianon and Alex now lead a co-driver school through Dirtfish, among the top rally schools in North America. "That's how we encourage co-drivers to start learning the right way," she explained. Subaru Rhianon Gelsomino and Travis Pastrana at the Goodwood Festival of Speed. Sometimes co-drivers start out behind the wheel before switching to the support role. "A lot of times it would be a driver that runs out of money," Gelsomino said. "With co-driving, you need a suit, helmet, boots, and you can co-drive, whereas the driver needs a car." When drivers begin hitting budgetary constraints in the famously expensive world of motorsports, she suggests they shift their focus. "Learn to be a co-driver, learn what rally is, and then change over to driving when you have the budget," she said. This also helps drivers gain a better perspective of what their co-driver needs to do their job properly. Although the co-driver doesn't actively steer the car with their hands, they do steer it, in a sense, with their voice, and their ability to communicate quickly and clearly with the driver is critical to a good result. That communication ultimately comes down to building trust between the teammates, as even the smallest mistake at over 100 mph on a narrow rally course can lead to a catastrophic accident. The first step is simply getting to know one another. "I make sure I learn a lot about them," said Gelsomino. "What car they're driving, what experience they have, what crashes they've had, what note system they use." Before the rally, the driver and co-driver do a reconnaissance drive of the stage at a much slower speed, and the driver takes notes that the co-driver will then read out when they tackle the event at full speed. "If they're not writing good notes, I can't do my job properly either." Subaru Before Gelsomino joined Pastrana in the Subaru WRX ARA25 for the American Rally Association, she competed in the World Rally Championship. "I'd learned a lot of things about video analysis and pace notes," she explained. "One big thing I worked on with him is using technology to his advantage." She showed Pastrana the benefit of recording their reconnaissance run, or "recce" as it's known among the competitors. "We record it because then we watch it at double speed together to rehearse the stage after the recce, to simulate it." Trading knowledge and preparing together is key to solidifying that trust in the car. "When you've done so much work rehearsing, that trust is built," she said. But some of it is also just innate. "We also have very similar personalities, he's like a brother to me. You find a bond," she explained. "Some people you don't, and you don't tend to continue working with them. You spend hours together, so you want to get along with the person, and you want to enjoy it." The other component to success is ensuring that you're speaking the same language. Every driver has their own style of taking notes. "In America, most drivers who use a one-to-six system, which is one will be a hairpin and a six will be flat out," Gelsomino detailed. "And they'll either say number or a direction: six left or left six, depending on which way they are going." But not everyone follows the same formula. "My brother, who I've done most of my rallies all over the world, he's a one-to-10 system." Subaru Then there are the "accessory words," which give the driver extra context on how to set up for the upcoming corner, and the "trigger words" that warn of big adjustments. The former might include "into" to connect a string of tightly packed corners, or "hug" to tell the driver to keep close to the inside of the corner instead of taking a more traditional racing line. The latter covers phrases like "caution, brake, and max flat." Luckily, when we rode alongside Pastrana on the short Goodwood rally stage, we weren't asked to read out notes. The jovial Pastrana had already completed several runs and was well-versed on the course, all the better since, as we soon discovered, it's quite the challenge to keep up. The launch off the line was violent despite the slick surface underneath, and as the Subaru WRX ARA25 surged forward, its nose pointed skyward, making it hard to judge or position relative to the upcoming turns. Those corners come at you fast, one after another. Pastrana's hands worked just as fast, whipping the steering wheel left and right, shifting gears, and yanking on the handbrake. The forces on your body are intense, from the grab of the harness under braking to the dramatic squat and dive that the long-travel suspension allows, and the feeling of constantly being sideways yet still going straight. As we scythed through the trees, we tried bracing for the corners ahead and keeping an eye on the narrow dirt route, but everything happened so quickly, we could only just hang on. The rapid two-and-a-half-minute run up the 1.5-mile course illustrated the impressive skills required of both rally drivers and co-drivers. Not only were we blown away by Pastrana's artful car control, as he chatted casually over the radio with a big grin on his face, but the immense speed demonstrated the challenge of co-driving, thinking several corners ahead, reading out each direction clearly, and timing it perfectly. Rally is truly a team sport, and while the drivers are the ones whose names get plastered onto video game covers, they couldn't do it without their co-driver beside them. Caleb Miller Associate News Editor Caleb Miller began blogging about cars at 13 years old, and he realized his dream of writing for a car magazine after graduating from Carnegie Mellon University and joining the Car and Driver team. He loves quirky and obscure autos, aiming to one day own something bizarre like a Nissan S-Cargo, and is an avid motorsports fan.
Forbes
an hour ago
- Forbes
Snapchat & TOGETHXR Team Up To Empower Women Athlete Digital Creators
BRISBANE, AUSTRALIA - JULY 16: Michelle Alozie of Nigeria poses for a portrait during the official ... More FIFA Women's World Cup Australia & New Zealand 2023 portrait session on July 16, 2023 in Brisbane, Australia. (Photo by Chris Hyde - FIFA/FIFA via Getty Images) Snapchat and TOGETHXR have joined forces in a first of its kind partnership to address one of the most persistent inequities in sports: the gender gap in media exposure and earning potential. The initiative, called Snap the Gap, is a content accelerator program designed to help up and coming women athletes grow their personal brands, expand their audiences, and unlock sustainable revenue through Snapchat's creator tools and storytelling platform. Launched by TOGETHXR, the media and commerce company founded by sports icons Alex Morgan, Chloe Kim, Simone Manuel, and Sue Bird, the program reflects both organizations' shared mission to change the game for women in sports, both on and off the field. Snapchat & TOGETHXR Snap The Gap SEATTLE, WASHINGTON - JUNE 3: Erica Wheeler #17 of the Seattle Storm celebrates with fans after the ... More win against the Dallas Wings at Climate Pledge Arena on June 3, 2025 in Seattle, Washington. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by) 'We are thrilled to partner with Snapchat on Snap the Gap, a first of its kind female athlete creators program on the platform,' said Paula Hughes, TOGETHXR's Chief Digital Officer. 'This collaboration lowers the barrier to entry for revenue opportunities for the athletes, who not only excel in competition, but who are also shaping culture and growing communities across women's sports.' The program supports nine standout athletes, each selected for their athletic excellence and cultural influence. They include: Snapchat & TOGETHXR Align Mentorship And Monetization OTTAWA, ONTARIO - MARCH 25: Sarah Fillier #10 of the New York Sirens celebrates her goal against the ... More Ottawa Charge during the third period of their PWHL game at The Arena at TD Place on March 25, 2025 in Ottawa, Ontario. (Photo by) These athletes will receive direct mentorship from Snapchat and content development support from TOGETHXR. The goal is to turn their athletic journeys into compelling, monetizable storytelling, allowing them to grow their audiences, build their brands, and unlock new revenue streams. 'At Snapchat, we've seen how powerful it can be when athletes share their journeys in their own words,' said Emma Wakely, Snapchat Sports and Media Partnerships Manager. 'With mentorship, tools, and a platform built for real storytelling, we're helping them shape the future of women's sports on their terms.' This effort comes at a pivotal moment. Women's sports are experiencing unprecedented momentum, yet female athletes continue to receive a fraction of the media coverage and sponsorship opportunities that male athletes enjoy. Programs like Snap the Gap aim to shift that reality by giving athletes the tools and support they need to own their narratives and grow their careers outside of competition. Snapchat's sports footprint makes it a powerful partner. Snapchat & TOGETHXR An Athlete Owned Future TAMPA, FLORIDA - APRIL 2: KK Arnold #2 of the UConn Huskies during the 2025 NCAA Women's Final Four ... More Media Day at the Tampa Convention Center on April 2, 2025 in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by Justin Tafoya/NCAA Photos via Getty Images) 'Snapchat is a platform I use often, and I'm excited to continue to grow my brand doing something that I genuinely enjoy,' said Alozie. 'Snapchat and TOGETHXR are making it possible for women's sports and women athletes to gain visibility and opportunity by showcasing who we are both on and off the field.' As the landscape of women's sports continues to evolve, Snap the Gap offers a compelling blueprint for what's next: a future where athletes are not only celebrated for their performance, but also empowered as storytellers, brand-builders, and leaders in a new era of digital media.
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Yahoo
Jack Conan says nerves mounting as Lions prepare to name first Test team
Jack Conan admits the British and Irish Lions squad are feeling the tension as Andy Farrell prepares to reveal who has claimed the ultimate prize of a Test place against Australia. Six matches into their tour, all of them producing wins except the Dublin curtain-raiser against Argentina, and the Lions management have finalised selection for Saturday's series opener at Suncorp Stadium. Advertisement The players will be told who has made the matchday 23 at a meeting on Wednesday and Conan believes the performances delivered over the last four weeks have not made selection easy. 'Everyone will be a bit nervous, but everyone has gone incredibly well, especially in the back row,' said Conan, who is expected to be named at number eight when the team is officially announced on Thursday. 'It's tough for the coaches, I'm sure, and hopefully we've given them plenty of headaches over the last while. No matter who's been out there, they've taken their opportunity really well. Advertisement 'It's about those lads who get to run out at the weekend to do right by the lads who aren't playing. 'It's going to be unbelievably special to play the first Test so hopefully everyone can make the most of it.' No area of the team has been more competitive than the back row, with Conan the closest thing to a certainty given he is the only specialist number eight in the 44-man squad in Australia. England duo Ollie Chessum and Tom Curry just hold the edge in the race to be picked as flankers, but Farrell is blessed with options in both positions. 'There's huge amounts of class and talent in the back row. It's been great to get to know the lads, to learn off them, to see how they do things and to push each other on as well,' Conan said. Advertisement 'That level of talent pushes everyone on to be your best and I think everyone has been at their best. No one can say they've been poor over the last few weeks. 'Especially in the back row, the standard has been unbelievably high, so it's been a joy to play with the lads and get to know with them.'
