British and Irish Lions reach agreement with Premiership over release of players

The Lions play a pre-tour Test against Japan at Murrayfield on June 26

Lions coach Warren Gatland will have access to players from the Premiership against Japan. Picture: David Davies

The British and Irish Lions have reached an agreement with the Gallagher Premiership over the release of players for the pre-tour Test against Japan at Murrayfield on June 26.

Warren Gatland had revealed that the prospect of stars from the English top flight being unavailable for the warm-up game might harm their chances of being selected for the tour to South Africa.

But Premiership Rugby Limited has announced that players will be released at the conclusion of their domestic commitments, enabling them to take part in the training camp in Jersey and the Japan match.

The regular Premiership season finishes on June 14 and while those involved in the play-offs can only join up with the Lions once their club duties are over, all others are now available to Gatland.

“We are very grateful to Premiership Rugby and PRO14 for the release of players after they have concluded their domestic commitments,” Lions chairman Jason Leonard said.

A refusal to grant release would have affected not only England stars but also Scotland and Wales internationals such as Dan Biggar, Stuart Hogg and Taulupe Faletau, who are competing in the top flight.

Meanwhile, Wasps lock Joe Launchbury is out of contention for the British and Irish Lions’ South Africa tour after suffering a serious knee injury.

Wasps say their captain sustained “a complete rupture” of his anterior cruciate ligament during Sunday’s Gallagher Premiership victory over Bath.

The normal recovery period for such an injury is between six and nine months.

Launchbury, who has won 69 caps, missed England’s Guinness Six Nations campaign this season because of a broken leg.