BRISBANE :British & Irish Lions coach Andy Farrell called another Scottish reinforcement into his squad in the shape of lock Gregor Brown on Sunday after Joe McCarthy had to be replaced during the first test victory over Australia.
Irish lock McCarthy was taken off with a foot problem early in the second half at Lang Park on Saturday after continuing his fine form with a barnstorming performance as the Lions dominated the Wallabies before the break.
“Plantar fascia,” Farrell told reporters after the Lions beat the Wallabies 27-19 to go 1-0 up in the three-match series.
“It was niggling away at him and hopefully we got him off in time.”
Brown is the fourth player called up from the Scotland squad which has just completed its tour of the Pacific, joining winger Darcy Graham and props Rory Sutherland and Ewan Ashman.
Sutherland, Ashman and Brown played in the win over Samoa in Auckland on Friday and will join the Lions squad on Sunday ahead of the Lions’ final midweek match against a First Nations-Pasifika XV in Melbourne on Tuesday.
Farrell said after Saturday’s victory that two of his other injury concerns, Scottish fullback Blair Kinghorn (knee) and Irish centre Garry Ringrose (concussion) could be ready to play at Docklands Stadium on Tuesday.
“Blair’s doing well doing pretty well, so we’ll see. And Garry’s going well. So hopefully they carry on on that trajectory and could be available for Tuesday,” he said.
Previous Lions squads have been riven by divisions and discontent when it became clear who was in the test team and who would be limited to the “dirt trackers” side to play the midweek games.
Farrell said that Tuesday’s match, and not next weekend’s second test, was now the sole focus for the whole touring party.
“We care about the squad and nothing but the squad and that’s how it’s been the whole time,” he said.
“We’ve never separated once. We’ve all been in everything together. So we’ll enjoy this victory tonight together and we travel to Melbourne tomorrow.
“Then everyone will roll into making sure that the team (for Tuesday) has as good a preparation as we’ve had all tour, because it matters to us.”
Farrell also insisted that Saturday’s victory did not mean that players who missed out on the matchday 23 for the first test would not be in contention to face the Wallabies at Melbourne Cricket Ground on Saturday.
“Not necessarily, no, not necessarily,” he said. “People competing, being open-minded enough in regards to that, that’s what everyone deserves.”
