Halfpenny to miss beginning of Lions tour

Wales winger Leigh Halfpenny will not travel with the British and Irish Lions squad to South Africa on Sunday.

The Lions medical team have decided Halfpenny should remain at home to undergo intensive treatment on a thigh injury that has proved to be more significant than first thought.

Halfpenny remains part of the squad and he will join the Lions in South Africa once he has regained full fitness. He is expected to be sidelined for up to a fortnight.

With Halfpenny effectively ruled out of the Lions’ first two tour matches, head coach Ian McGeechan will name a replacement taking the squad back up to 37 players.