Injury-hit Lions call up replacements

Sydney: Veteran Welsh winger Shane Williams will fly in from Japan to bolster the injury-hit British and Irish Lions in their final tour game before next weekend’s first Test against the Wallabies.

Williams, 36, a two-time Lions tourist and capped 87 times for Wales, will join the squad from Japan where he is playing club rugby with Mitsubishi Dynaboars to play on the left wing. Williams’s tour appearance is likely to be a one-off with reports that he will leave Australia after the match in Canberra.

The Lions have also rushed in late call-ups Billy Twelvetrees, Brad Barritt and Christian Wade into the backline to face Jake White’s Brumbies in Canberra on Tuesday. Barritt was holidaying in the United States when he got the call.

England wing Wade and centre Barritt were called up overnight as cover following a hamstring injury to Welsh star Jamie Roberts, while Brian O’Driscoll and Manu Tuilagi are managing injuries ahead of Saturday’s opening Test in Brisbane.

Twelvetrees, who arrived in Sydney on Friday, will make his Lions debut alongside Barritt in the centres against the Australian Super 15 conference leaders in Canberra.

“We have obviously got ongoing treatment of some players so it’s prudent to make sure we have enough backline cover,” head coach Warren Gatland said.

“Christian played well in the first Test against Argentina and is match fit.”

The Lions have now made a total of seven call-ups for reinforcements since arriving in Australia a fortnight ago, with two of them made in the last 24 hours.

Irish winger Simon Zebo, who arrived last week and played in the Lions’ 47-17 win over the NSW Waratahs in Sydney on Saturday, has been named on the bench. Ireland hooker Rory Best will captain the team, while Irishman Rob Kearney will get his first start on tour after recovering from a hamstring injury.