Lions to call up replacements to provide cover for midweek fixtures

Rotorua: The British & Irish Lions are set to call up five or six replacements to join the tour party next week as cover for their final midweek fixtures.

The currently unnamed extra players will be in line to sit on the bench against the Chiefs in Waikato on Tuesday to allow the Test match 23 to prepare properly for next Saturday’s first Test against New Zealand.

Warren Gatland publicly indicated as long ago as last September he was considering calling up additional bodies but will wait until this weekend’s Test matches involving the home unions are played in case of untimely injuries. The Lions could probably do with a pair of half-backs, an extra three-quarter, a prop, a hooker and a back five forward, which would increase the size of the squad to 46 and permitting two equal matchday squads of 23.

Wales are currently in New Zealand and could easily supply cover while Scotland are touring in Australia and Fiji. Ireland are in Japan but England’s two-Test series in Argentina concludes this weekend, potentially freeing up some more experienced players should Gatland need them. Among assorted contenders could be the Welsh backs Jamie Roberts, Scott Williams, Gareth Anscombe and scrum-half Gareth Davies, the Scotland fly-half Finn Russell and, theoretically, a couple of English forwards such as Dylan Hartley and Joe Launchbury. With Stuart Hogg invalided out of the tour, Owen Farrell injured and Courtney Lawes having suffered a head knock, the Lions would otherwise have to ask several of their potential Test 23 to double up next week if they chose to stick with only their existing tour members. Several replacements were also summoned in the later stages of the 2013 tour, with one of them, Alex Corbisiero, going on to score a try in the decisive third Test win against Australia in Sydney. In addition to Tuesday’s game against the Chiefs in Hamilton, the Lions are also due to face the Hurricanes in Wellington between the first and second Tests.

Wales coach Robin McBryde said he is waiting for the phone call from Gatland.

“We weren’t short-sighted enough to think we would come all the way to the other side of the world and not support the Lions if the call comes and that’s what it is,” he said after Wales beat Tonga 24-6 in Auckland on Friday.

“We are one of the nations that are involved in the British and Irish Lions so if we can support them then we’ll help them out.”

Wales already have 12 players plus coach Gatland with the Lions, and Wales captain Roberts said they have the depth if more players are required.

“If we lose some players we will have to adapt accordingly. We have a squad of 32. Some players missed out today and if we lose a few, others will get an opportunity,” said Roberts who was on the last two Lions tours to Australia and South Africa.

“We have to develop our strength in depth across the senior playing group in this Welsh squad ... and if we lost some, we have the artillery to come in.”