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Ireland prop Clarkson called up by Lions as front row cover / Photo: © AFP
Ireland prop Clarkson called up by Lions as front row cover
Ireland tight-head prop Tom Clarkson has been added to the British and Irish Lions squad as front-row cover ahead of the first Test against Australia in Brisbane on Saturday.
England hooker Jamie George had already been called up by the Lions on Saturday after Luke Cowan-Dickie suffered a suspected concussion in the 48-0 win against a combined Australia-New Zealand XV in Adelaide.
A day later, the Lions announced they would bring in more reinforcement in the front row by flying in tighthead prop Clarkson from Lisbon, where he was part of an Ireland team that beat Portugal 106-7 on Saturday.
Clarkson's call-up swells the Irish contingent in the Lions squad, led by Ireland head coach Andy Farrell, to 18 players.
The 25-year-old Clarkson was given his Ireland debut by Farrell in November and has won eight caps.
His Ireland teammate Jamie Osborne, who can play centre or full-back, is already with the Lions in Brisbane after being summoned from Portugal as cover for Blair Kinghorn, who injured his knee last week.
Scotland's Kinghorn, widely regarded as first-choice Lions fullback, landed awkwardly in the 36-24 win against ACT Brumbies last Wednesday but scans on the knee showed no serious damage.
"We're hopeful that he will take some part in training (this week)," said Lions defence coach Simon Easterby of Kinghorn.
"Then it will be a little bit of a waiting game in terms of whether he's available for the first Test."
The Lions, winners of all five warm-up matches in Australia leading into the first Test, have already lost Welsh scrum-half Tomos Williams to a torn hamstring and English fullback Elliot Daly with a broken arm.
A.Smith--SFF
