Jamie George Called Up As Lions Lose Cowan-dickie And Ringrose For First Australia Test

Andy Farrell is facing caller action problems, pinch Garry Ringrose and Luke Cowan-Dickie some retired of nan Lion’s first Test against nan Wallabies. The centre Ringrose and nan hooker Cowan-Dickie person been sidelined by concussion, pinch England’s Jamie George now flying to Australia from Argentina arsenic screen for nan second and to bolster nan squad for nan last 3 weeks of nan tour.

Ringrose’s misfortune has travel astatine a pivotal juncture and is apt to propel Scotland’s Huw Jones into nan starting XV to look Australia successful Brisbane adjacent Saturday. Farrell, consequently, whitethorn beryllium tempted to merge him pinch his Glasgow teammate Sione Tuipulotu aft nan pair’s successful outing successful a 48-0 thrashing of a mixed Australia & New Zealand Invitational XV.

Cowan-Dickie, for his part, will beryllium unavailable for nan first Test and nan consequent last midweek game, against a First Nations & Pasifika XV successful Melbourne. That has prompted a hasty call-up for George, who has been touring Argentina pinch England. It will beryllium nan Saracens’ hooker’s 3rd Lions circuit and his acquisition whitethorn yet travel successful useful. “We are down to nan business extremity and location is simply a batch of rugby to beryllium played,” Farrell said.

With nan Lions owed to alert to Brisbane connected Sunday, however, Ringrose will now person to beryllium patient, having been injured against nan Brumbies connected Wednesday. “Garry unluckily had a delayed reaction,” said Farrell. “He had headaches for a time and it carried connected for nan adjacent time truthful he went done concussion protocols and grounded those.

“That puts him retired of nan first Test but [potentially] puts him backmost successful for nan midweek crippled earlier nan 2nd Test. You don’t messiness astir pinch these things. It is unfortunate for him and everyone else.”

Jamie George successful action for nan Lions connected their 2021 circuit of South Africa. Photograph: Kim Ludbrook/EPA

Picking nan correct blend successful midfield, however, will beryllium captious and Ringrose’s untimely setback whitethorn heighten nan chances of Owen Farrell featuring successful immoderate capacity. Either way, Farrell Sr insists he still has an unfastened mind. “I thought Huw and Sione were very good. Obviously location was a chat to beryllium had aft this crippled anyway. Who knows which measurement we would person gone because it’s existent what we said astir leaving it open.

“I cognize group deliberation we had a fixed mind aft Wednesday’s crippled but that’s not nan truth. I can’t retrieve looking astatine a expanse complete nan past fewer weeks and thinking: ‘That operation has to hap because of nan state that it’s from.’ That doesn’t beryllium successful this group.”

Jones, for one, is taking thing for granted, having not been advised earlier nan crippled that Ringrose was struggling. “No 1 told me, which I deliberation was astir apt a bully thing, because past it didn’t messiness pinch my head. We’ve been moving together loads truthful I’m gutted for him. You dislike to spot personification get hurt, because we’re each successful it together. But if that intends that I get an opportunity adjacent week past I’ll beryllium very happy pinch that and past effort and drawback it pinch some hands.”

The Lions besides person large decisions to make successful nan backmost row, wherever Jac Morgan, Josh van der Flier, Tom Curry and Henry Pollock are vying for places successful nan Test-match 23. Farrell, though, believes his squad are “in bully shape” heading into nan bid and is unconcerned by nan one-sided quality of Saturday’s game.

“I thought it was a master squad performance. If we triumph pinch 50 points nan title is not beardown capable but past if personification puts a reliable capacity connected us, it’s america that’s not bully enough. You’re damned if you do, you’re damned if you don’t.

“We conscionable want to make judge arsenic a squad that we support pushing guardant and I felt we did that successful galore areas of our game. I don’t deliberation anyone’s astonishing us. We cognize nan unit that we’ve sewage but we’re pleased that everyone’s rolling into adjacent week successful a spot of form.”