Alex Corbisiero has been called up to the British and Irish Lions tour to Australia as cover for looshead prop Cian Healy.
Healy suffered an ankle injury in the 37th minute of the Lions 69-17 win over Western Force. The Lions have said that the ankle injury, which was initially suspected to be broken, came up clean on the x-ray and is therefore assumed to be ligament damage.
Even if Healy’s injury turns out not to be tour ending there is still a chance that he could miss the tour after he was cited for allegedly biting Force scrum half Brett Sheehan, an offence which carries a minimum 12 week ban, though video footage appears inconclusive.
As such Corbisiero has been called up and will leave England’s tour of Argentina as soon as possible, leaving Joe Marler the favourite to start against Argentina on Saturday for England.
Speaking about Corbisiero’s call up, British and Irish Lions Head Coach Warren Gatland said:
“Cian has had an X-ray and, while his left ankle is not broken, he will be assessed further when we get to Brisbane. In the meantime we need to get Alex over here as soon as possible and I am thankful to Stuart Lancaster for letting him go so quickly.”
Meanwhile captain for the day, Brian O’Drsicoll said of Healy: “He is a club-mate and an international team-mate, but he is also now a Lions team-mate, if that is the end of his tour, it is bitterly disappointing. We just wait and hope it isn’t as bad as it first seemed.”
