Leinster Lions grow in numbers as prop Clarkson gets surprise call-up from Farrell

Leinster will have as many representatives as England on this tour to Australia when the 25-year-old with eight international caps arrives in Brisbane.

Thomas Clarkson of Ireland on his way to scoring his side's sixth try during the International Rugby Test match between Portugal and Ireland. Pic: David Fitzgerald/Sportsfile

Ireland tighthead prop Thomas Clarkson has been called up by the British & Irish Lions, bringing the number of Leinster players in Andy Farrell’s squad to 14.

The Irish province will have as many representatives as England on this tour to Australia when the 25-year-old with eight international caps arrives in Brisbane.

Clarkson was a try-scorer in Ireland’s record-breaking 106-7 victory over Portugal in Lisbon on Saturday night and is being brought into the Lions camp as an additional tighthead with the tourists insisting none of their three players in that position are injured ahead of this Saturday’s first Test against the Wallabies.

Clarkson could well feature on the bench in the Lions' final midweek fixture of the tour in Melbourne next Tuesday if Farrell has decided not to risk one of his two Test tightheads, most likely Tadhg Furlong and Will Stuart, between the first and second Tests.

The Lions welcomed another Ireland and Leinster player to the tour on their arrival in Brisbane on Sunday, when utility back Jamie Osborne linked up with the squad.

Osborne was called in as cover for the injured Blair Kinghorn last week having played for Ireland in their victory over Georgia in Tbilisi last Saturday.

England and Saracens hooker Jamie George is currently in transit and will join the squad in the coming days from Argentina as cover for the injured Luke Cowan-Dickie.