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A toe injury will prevent Andrew Porter from travelling to South Africa with the British & Irish Lions. Billy Stickland/INPHO
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'Really bad luck' for Andrew Porter as Ireland prop is ruled out of Lions tour

Due to injury, the 25-year-old Dubliner’s place has been taken by England’s Kyle Sinckler.

ANDREW PORTER WON’T play any part in the forthcoming British & Irish Lions tour to South Africa.

Head coach Warren Gatland has revealed that the Ireland and Leinster prop has been ruled out by a toe injury.

His place in the squad will be taken by England’s Kyle Sinckler, whose omission from the original squad was one of Gatland’s most contentious selection calls.

Porter, one of eight Ireland players picked for the 2021 Lions, sustained the injury while playing for Leinster in Friday night’s defeat to Glasgow Warriors in the Rainbow Cup.

“It’s really bad luck for Andrew and we send him our very best wishes for a quick and successful rehab,” said Gatland. “Andrew is a young man with a big future ahead of him and I’m sure he’ll be in contention again in four years’ time.

“As always in rugby, when there’s an injury there’s an opportunity for someone else. I have been very pleased to see the way Kyle has responded to initially being left out of the touring party.

“He’s shown some excellent form of late and I hope he continues to stick two fingers up to me about leaving him out in the first place.”

The Lions assemble in Jersey next Sunday to begin preparations for a game against Japan at Murrayfield on 26 June.

The squad will then depart for South Africa, where the tour will include Test matches against the world champion Springboks on 24 July, 31 July and 7 August. 

“We are all bitterly disappointed for Ports – he has worked incredibly hard to get this opportunity and it was richly deserved,” Leinster head coach Leo Cullen told the province’s official website.

“He is fortunate that he has youth on his side and will hopefully have another shot at a Lions tour again, but that doesn’t take away from his disappointment now.

“Like everyone, we wish him well with his recovery and look forward to seeing him back for Leinster next season.”

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