Lions Face Setback as Ringrose and Cowan-Dickie Miss First Test Against Australia

Injury Woes for the Lions

The British and Irish Lions have encountered a significant setback ahead of their first Test against Australia in Brisbane. Centre Garry Ringrose has been ruled out due to a concussion sustained during the Lions' victory over ACT Brumbies. Additionally, hooker Luke Cowan-Dickie is a major doubt after also suffering a concussion in Saturday's win.

Impact on Team Selection

Ringrose, who was a standout performer in the match against the Brumbies, will miss the first Test but is expected to return for the midweek game against First Nations and Pasifika XV on 22 July. Scotland's Huw Jones, who delivered an impressive performance in the eight-try win against the AUNZ Invitational XV, is now likely to start at outside centre.

Concussion Protocols

Head coach Andy Farrell confirmed that both players are undergoing concussion protocols. "Garry had a delayed reaction. He had headaches for a day and it carried on for the next day so he went through concussion protocols and failed those," Farrell said. "Unfortunately for him and for us he's [out for] 12 days, so that puts him out of the first Test and back in for the midweek game before the second Test."

Potential Replacements

With Cowan-Dickie also likely to miss the game, the Lions are considering calling up another hooker. Dan Sheehan remains the frontrunner to start the Test series, but the team may need additional support. "It looks like we're going to call someone in, so we'll make a call over the next 24 hours," Farrell stated.

Looking Ahead

The Lions' final Test against the Wallabies is scheduled for 2 August in Sydney. Despite these challenges, the team remains focused on delivering strong performances throughout the tour.