British and Irish Lions star out of tour as new call-ups announced
British and Irish Lions star out of tour as new call-ups announced
Andy Farrell's squad met up in Dublin on Sunday night ahead of this week's training camp in Portugal
Zander Fagerson ahead of Scotland's Six Nations clash with England
(Image: Getty Images )
Scotland prop Zander Fagerson has been ruled out of the British and Irish Lions tour of Australia with a calf injury as Andy Farrell confirmed the 24-man group who will travel to Portugal this week for a training camp.
Glasgow prop Fagerson had not played since April, with Ireland tighthead Finlay Bealham called up in his place. Farrell will also bring England hooker Jamie George and prop Asher Opoku-Fordjour to Quinta do Lago for the six-day camp as cover.
Having met up in Dublin on Sunday, the Lions travel to Portugal on Tuesday without 16 of their 38-man squad.
12 of their squad - Ronan Kelleher, Dan Sheehan, Andrew Porter, Tadhg Furlong, Joe McCarthy, James Ryan, Jack Conan, Josh van der Flier, Jamison Gibson-Park, Garry Ringrose, Hugo Keenan and James Lowe - are currently preparing for the United Rugby Championship final with Leinster.
Meanwhile, Bath duo Finn Russell and Will Stuart will face Leicester's Ollie Chessum in the Gallagher Premiership final next weekend.
Scotland full-back Blair Kinghorn is also still involved with Toulouse's Top 14 campaign.
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Saracens hooker George, who was understood to be close to making Farrell's initial squad, has previously toured with the Lions in 2017 and 2021.
Sale tighthead prop Opoku-Fordjour made his England debut last November against Japan and can pack down on both sides of the scrum.
Those involved in the Premiership and URC finals will join up with the squad in Ireland next week, ahead of the first match of the tour against Argentina in Dublin on June 20. Sign up to Inside Welsh rugby on Substack to get exclusive news stories and insight from behind the scenes in Welsh rugby.
'It's tough on Zander to miss out so close to the Tour, but now Finlay gets an opportunity to come in and add to the group," said Farrell.
"This is unfortunately part and parcel of the game, so we always have to be prepared for that.
'But it's great to be finally at the stage where we can get onto the training ground and get to work with these players.
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'Portugal will be really important for us as we look to get our house in order with only a few training sessions before we take on Argentina in the 1888 Cup in Dublin.' The British & Irish Lions Squad (Portugal Camp)Forwards: Finlay Bealham (Connacht Rugby/Ireland), Tadhg Beirne (Munster Rugby/Ireland), Luke Cowan-Dickie (Sale Sharks/England), Scott Cummings (Glasgow Warriors/ Scotland), Tom Curry (Sale Sharks/England), Ben Earl (Saracens/England), Jamie George (Saracens/England), Ellis Genge (Bristol Bears/England), Maro Itoje (Saracens/England), Jac Morgan (Ospreys/Wales), Asher Opoku-Fordjour (Sale Sharks/England), Henry Pollock (Northampton Saints/England), Pierre Schoeman (Edinburgh Rugby/Scotland)Backs: Bundee Aki (Connacht Rugby/Ireland), Elliot Daly (Saracens/England), Tommy Freeman (Northampton Saints/England), Mack Hansen (Connacht Rugby/Ireland), Huw Jones (Glasgow Warriors/Scotland), Alex Mitchell (Northampton Saints/England), Fin Smith (Northampton Saints/England), Marcus Smith (Harlequins/ England), Sione Tuipulotu (Glasgow Warriors/Scotland), Duhan van der Merwe (Edinburgh Rugby/Scotland), Tomos Williams (Gloucester Rugby/Wales)
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