Lions

Detroit defensive back Brian Branch thought he had been blocked in the back illegally without the officials calling a penalty during the Lions’ 30-17 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday night.

So as soon as the game ended, Branch took matters into his own hands — or, rather, his own hand.

After the final play, Branch approached the player he later said was responsible for the illegal block, Chiefs receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster, and hit him hard on the left side of his face mask with an open hand.

Smith-Schuster fell to a knee but immediately popped up and went after Branch. The two players scuffled briefly, with Smith-Schuster losing his helmet and ending up back on the ground, as other players and coaches tried to intervene.

Talking to reporters after the game, Branch apologized and took responsibility for his actions while also attempting to explain what had set him off.

“I did a little childish thing,” the third-year player said. “But I’m tired of people doing stuff in between the play and refs don’t catch it. Like, they were trying to bully me out there and I don’t think — I shouldn’t have did it. It was childish.”

Asked to elaborate on what had happened during the game, Branch said: “I got blocked in the back illegally, and it was front of the ref. The ref didn’t do anything, and just stuff like that. And I could have got hurt off of that, but I still shouldn’t have done that.”

Branch said later in the interview that he should have taken out his frustrations within the rules of the game “between the whistles, not after the game, and I apologize for that.”

Detroit coach Dan Campbell, right, approaches Lions defensive back Brian Branch, left, in a crowd of players after a game against the Kansas City Chiefs on Oct. 12.

(Jamie Squire / Getty Images)

Branch was fined $23,186 earlier this season for face-masking and unsportsmanlike conduct penalties during a game against the Green Bay Packers. He could face another fine and possibly a suspension for his actions Sunday night, an NFL spokesperson told The Times. There is no timetable for a decision to be made on the matter.

The Chiefs offense and Lions defense were on the field for the final play. As soon as the final whistle blew, Branch appeared to walk right past Kansas City quarterback Patrick Mahomes, who had extended his hand for a postgame handshake, to confront Smith-Schuster.

“After the game, I was expecting to shake his hand and say, ‘Good game’ and move away, but he threw a punch,” Smith-Schuster told reporters in the locker room. “At the end of the day, it’s a team sport. We came out here, we did our job, we won, and that’s all that matters.”

Smith-Schuster was asked what might have led up to the incident.

“I mean, just me blocking him,” the ninth-year receiver said. “I mean, I’m just doing my job. I play between the whistles and after the game he just took advantage of what he did.”

Smith-Schuster reportedly received a bloody nose from the hit. There were no signs of blood by the time he gave his postgame interview, but Smith-Schuster confirmed that he had been bleeding.

Detroit coach Dan Campbell — who famously declared during his introductory press conference in 2021 that his team would bite off opponents’ kneecaps — told reporters that Branch’s actions were unacceptable.

“I love Brian Branch, but what he did is inexcusable and it’s not going to be accepted here,” Campbell said. “It’s not what we do. It’s not what we’re about. I apologized to Coach [Andy] Reid and the Chiefs, and Schuster. That’s not OK. That’s not what we do here. It’s not going to be OK. He knows it. Our team knows it. That’s not what we do.”

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

THOMAS TUCHEL has ruled Ollie Watkins out of England’s upcoming World Cup qualifier against Latvia.

The 29-year-old suffered a knock during a friendly against Wales on Thursday.

1

He collided with a goalpost while sliding in to connect with a cross just six minutes before half-time.

The Aston Villa man was initially able to continue, but made way for Marcus Rashford at half-time.

Now, the striker has been ruled out of Tuesday’s clash with Latvia.

THIS IS A DEVELOPING STORY..

The Sun is your go to destination for the best football, boxing and MMA news, real-life stories, jaw-dropping pictures and must-see video.Like us on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/TheSunFootball and follow us from our main Twitter account at @TheSunFootball.

The uncertainty over his future puts his hopes of reaching the milestone of a century of Test appearances agonisingly out of reach at just two short.

“I fear that the international ship has sailed,” said Williams, who also played in a World Cup semi-final having made his debut in 2012.

“I’ve not called time on that but it would be impossible without a club.

“If I start playing regularly and there are some injuries in the back three then Steve [Tandy, head coach] may give me a call.”

Williams worked with Tandy on the Lions’ tour to South Africa in 2021 and believes he can help turn around Wales, who ended an 18-match losing streak in the summer.

“Steve’s personality is a good fit for Wales, he’s very passionate, productive and positive,” said Williams.

“Wales is in a sticky spot but we have a young squad and hopefully the guys can thrive over the next couple of years.”

Williams hopes he can still play a part in that recovery before hanging up his boots.

US vice president says Europe will be expected to play the ‘leading role’ in guaranteeing Kyiv’s post-war security.

European countries will have to shoulder the “lion’s share” of guaranteeing Ukraine’s security in the event of a deal to end Russia’s war in the country, United States Vice President JD Vance has said.

In an interview with Fox News on Wednesday, Vance said the US should not have to “carry the burden” of underpinning Kyiv’s post-war security.

“I think that we should be helpful if it’s necessary to stop the war and to stop the killing. But I think that we should expect, and the president certainly expects, Europe to play the leading role here,” Vance said in an interview with Fox News host Laura Ingraham.

“What he said very clearly is: Look, the United States is open to have the conversation, but we’re not going to make commitments until we figure out what is going to be necessary to stop the war in the first place.”

Vance’s comments came a day after US President Donald Trump ruled out the possibility of US troops in Ukraine, while suggesting that Washington could provide support “by air”.

The issue of post-war security guarantees for Ukraine has been a major question mark over Trump’s push to end the three-and-a-half-year-long conflict.

After hosting Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and top European leaders at the White House for talks on the war on Monday, Trump said that European countries would be the “first line of defence”, but that Washington would provide “a lot of help”.

While Trump has ruled out NATO membership for Ukraine, his special envoy, Steve Witkoff, and NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte have raised the possibility of offering Kyiv a security guarantee resembling the 32-member alliance’s collective defence mandate.

Under Article 5 of the North Atlantic Treaty, an armed attack against one NATO member nation is considered an attack on all members of the alliance.

While Trump has said that Russian President Vladimir Putin is open to European peacekeepers being stationed in Ukraine, Moscow has repeatedly dismissed the possibility of troops from NATO countries along its border.

On Wednesday, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said that his country would need to be included in negotiations on security guarantees, warning that excluding Moscow would be a “road to nowhere”.

“We cannot agree with the fact that now it is proposed to resolve questions of security, collective security, without the Russian Federation. This will not work,” Lavrov said.

Despite the sticking points between the sides, Vance said on Wednesday that the Trump administration had made “great progress” in its efforts to end the war.

“You can never say with certainty what the outcome in this situation is going to be,” Vance said.

“But we now have the Russians talking to the Ukrainians; they’re talking details about what would be necessary on each side to stop the fighting, to stop the killing.”

ATLANTA — Detroit safety Morice Norris was attended to for about 20 minutes and taken off the field in an ambulance during the Lions’ preseason game Friday night against Atlanta, with the game ending with 6:31 to go after the players let the clock run.

Norris was hurt with 14:50 to go trying to tackle Nathan Carter.

“We’re just praying for Mo and ask that everybody prays for him,” said Lions coach Dan Campbell, who said he had “positive information” from hospital.

“He’s breathing. He’s talking. He has some movement,” Campbell added.

When play resumed, Falcons quarterback Emory Jones took a snap and then held the ball as players from both teams stood at the line of scrimmage and the clock continued to run. Finally, with 6:31 left, an official announced the game had been suspended “per New York.”

The Lions led 17-10 when played was stopped.

Campbell and Falcons coach Raheem Morris made the decision to not finish the game.

“Raheem Morris is a class act,” Campbell said. “He’s the ultimate class act. We agreed it just didn’t feel right to finish that game.”

Lions quarterback Kyle Allen said the decision to not finish the game was easy to make.

“I don’t think anyone on that sideline wanted to play,” Allen said. “We weren’t part of that decision but you could look in anyone’s eyes and see that.”

In the aftermath of the British and Irish Lions’ third Test against Australia in Sydney, a beaming Bundee Aki was riffing about all sorts of things.

The topics included the series win being the greatest achievement of his career, the special bonds forged between the players and how he would love to see Andy Farrell go again as Lions coach in 2029.

Then he mentioned something extraordinary, almost in passing – his wife Kayla had given birth to their fifth child in a car on her way to the hospital before the first Test of the series.

Asked what he wanted to do now, the New Zealand-born Ireland centre replied: “I want to enjoy my break, my family time.

“I haven’t seen my family for eight weeks. I have a newborn child who I haven’t met yet.”

Pardon?

“Yep, a girl. She was born when we were playing in Brisbane, so I haven’t met her. Her name is Aine, so I’m looking forward to going and meeting her,” he added.

Sorry?

“Credit to my wife,” he went on.

Indeed, much credit to Kayla, who has now given birth to the couple’s fifth child.

The first was born in hospital and the next three at home, while Aine entered the world in the back of a car en route to a hospital in New Zealand, where the rest of the Akis were visiting family, as Bundee and the Lions prepared for the first Test in Brisbane.

The remarkable scene happened mid-tour and never got out in public.

“She’s a powerful woman, a strong woman. If you only knew the story of what happened, it’s a funny story in itself,” the 35-year-old said.

At that point, Aki was faced with a gaggle of journalists desperate for the full story.

We have journeyed around Australia for six weeks looking for gold like this and here we were, literally doing the last player interview of the entire trip and the greatest tale of the tour was tumbling out in front of us.

“Have we got time?” asked the Connacht player. He may as well have asked if we would like a free lunch.

“It was a good day. I was in the team hotel. I knew we were overdue. The missus calls me and she’s like, ‘My water hasn’t broken but I’m going to the hospital, I’m feeling contractions’.

“We were getting ready for the team meeting pre-match and she calls back and says she’s now on the way to the hospital.

“Five minutes later, she sends a photo – her water had broken. I was like, ‘Cool, OK, are you almost there?’ This is like 30 or 40 minutes away from the hospital. I said, ‘You’ll be all right, Mum is there’.

“Ten minutes later, she video calls. I was like, ‘What’s going on?’ – and I saw a baby on the video call. She had it in the car on the way to the hospital. They’re both strong and healthy, so happy days.”

CANTON, Ohio — Trey Lance welcomes any opportunity that comes his way — a vexing four NFL seasons have only made him more eager — so Thursday night felt especially good.

Lance, the onetime third overall pick of the San Francisco 49ers, is battling for the Chargers’ backup quarterback job, and he made a compelling case in the Hall of Fame Game against the NFC darling Detroit Lions.

Although he didn’t put up gaudy numbers — completing 13 of 20 passes for 120 yards and two touchdowns — he was as relaxed and at ease in front of the crowd of 18,144 at Tom Benson Stadium, as refreshing as the gentle evening breeze after a day of sprinkling rain.

“I was excited that we got this fourth preseason game,” Lance said after the 34-7 victory. “If I could play four games I’d be fired up about that.”

Lance, competing with Taylor Heinicke for the backup job to Justin Herbert, is on his third NFL team since being drafted in 2021. He was sidelined by injuries with the 49ers, then unseated by Brock Purdy. After that, Lance was a third-stringer for two seasons in Dallas. And keep in mind, he only played one full season at North Dakota State.

NFL analyst Sam Monson crunched the numbers and came up with this forehead-slapping stat: Lance has thrown a total of 781 pass attempts since he was 16. Kansas City’s Patrick Mahomes, for instance, had 664 last season alone.

“He had the same kind of composure and poise and was just in control,” Chargers coach Jim Harbaugh said of Lance after the game. “There’s a presence that I’ve been seeing all camp. He’s had a heck of a camp, and then he went out in the game and did that. Just the feeling of — he needs game reps, and you know he’s going to get them. It’s a great start for him tonight.”

Chargers quarterback Trey Lance passes in the first half of the Hall of Fame Game on Thursday.

(David Richard / Associated Press)

As for that relatively minuscule number of pass attempts since high school?

Lance just turned 25 in May.

“Gosh, to be 25 again,” the coach said. “Wow, that’s the fat part of the bat, you know, for a quarterback. Excited about where he’s headed, happy to be in the middle of that story too. Just keep rolling. More reps next week.”

Here are five observations from the Chargers’ preseason opener:

Australia: Wright; Jorgensen, Suaalii, Ikitau, Pietsch; Lynagh, White; Slipper, Porecki, Tupou, Frost, Skelton, Hooper, McReight, Wilson

Replacements: Pollard, Bell, Nonggorr, Williams, Gleeson, McDermott, Donaldson, Kellaway

British and Irish Lions: Keenan; Freeman, Jones, Aki, Kinghorn; Russell, Gibson-Park; Porter, Sheehan, Furlong, Itoje, Ryan, Beirne, Curry, Conan

Replacements: Kelleher, Genge, Stuart, Chessum, Morgan, Earl, Mitchell, Farrell

The Wallabies had been pilloried all week. Humiliated, almost. The reaction to their loss to the Lions in Brisbane was unsparing and questioning of not just their mettle but the veritable future of the game in Australia.

We thought there would be a reaction but nobody could have foreseen this absolute thunderclap. At the MCG they knocked the Lions for six early on. That first half was mesmeric; six tries, the impetus swinging this way and that, the Wallabies buoyant and then bruised, the Lions beleaguered and then battling hard to get back into it. It was magnificent.

It all started with a Lynagh penalty that put Australia ahead early on. Only mere minutes had gone when it was obvious that these Wallabies were a different beast to the timid animals we saw in Brisbane.

Valetini and Skelton set the tone, carrying hard and hitting like demons. The physicality and intent was fantastic. Lynagh made it 6-0 as the Lions shipped penalties amid the onslaught. There was aggravation out there. Some badness. The Wallabies had found themselves.

So did the Lions, briefly. Sheehan dived over to make it 6-5 but what happened next was extraordinary. Valetini in the vanguard, the Wallabies blasted downfield, won a succession of penalties which they kicked to touch.

They turned the screw and eventually it worked, Slipper barging over for a score that was rapturously greeted by the massive MCG ground wearing gold.

What was worse for the Lions, Freeman was yellow-carded for trying to kill Wallaby ball in the build-up. What was worse again, Australia reacted to his yellow card like men possessed.

The Lions conceded penalty number seven after 27 minutes. Their living nightmare, Valetini, was everywhere, like there were two or three of him out there. How glad the Lions would have been to see him fail to come out for the second half.

With the Lions retreating and on the ropes, Gordon screamed into space at the side of a ruck and scored.

Lynagh’s conversion made it 18-5. A sensation. And it only got more sensational. From the restart, the Wallabies went again. Max Jorgensen ate up space down the right, then Joseph Suaalii motored past Bundee Aki to put the Wallabies into dream territory.

Suaalii found Wright and away the full-back went to the posts; 23-5. Gobsmacking.

Jamie George, a titan of the 2017 tour in New Zealand, starts at hooker after he was drafted in from the England camp in Argentina.

Blair Kinghorn is back from injury and has been chosen in his favoured position at full-back.

Both wings are Scottish, with Darcy Graham, one of the many who have been called up as cover, on the right wing and Duhan van der Merwe on the left.

Fin Smith and Ben White are the half-backs, just as they were in the rout of AUNZ.

Pierre Schoeman and Finlay Bealham pack down either side of George in the front row, with James Ryan and Scott Cummings renewing a partnership that faced the Waratahs in game three in Australia.

Jac Morgan will start at blindside for the first time on tour, with Josh van der Flier and Henry Pollock making up the back row.

Ewan Ashman, Rory Sutherland, Tom Clarkson and the latest call-up, Gregor Brown, all fill the bench as coach Andy Farrell throws a protective blanket over his first-choice players. Mack Hansen, who has been battling injury, is not included.

The relevance of this game is limited given that so many of the 23 are firmly out of Farrell’s thinking for Saturday’s second Test.

There are points of interest, however.

Kinghorn might well be playing for a starting place given that Hugo Keenan was hit-and-miss in the first Test. Kinghorn is probably favourite to take over.

Might Farrell be a bench contender on Saturday if he performs well on Tuesday, maybe at the expense of Marcus Smith?

Garry Ringrose, who is fit again, was having a storming tour before getting concussed against the ACT Brumbies in Canberra.

Does Farrell dare to break up the Scottish midfield by picking Ringrose ahead of Huw Jones? If not, does he bring Ringrose on to the bench for Saturday ahead of countryman Bundee Aki?

The Lions back row performed wonderfully in Brisbane so it is impossible to see a change there, but what about the back-up?

It was Earl on Saturday and it might well be Earl again, but Morgan, having played at seven throughout the tour, is now being given a shot at six. He is fighting for a place in the 23.

Tuesday’s opponents will be captained by the veteran Kurtley Beale.

The fly-half is one of six indigenous players, with the rest of the squad made up of men with Pacific Islands heritage.

It is the first game of its kind, a celebration of First Nations, Samoan, Tongan, Fijian and Cook Island culture.

Tonga-born prop Taniela Tupou and Fiji-born wing Filipo Daugunu have been released from the Australia camp to play for a team coached by Australia 1999 World Cup winner Toutai Kefu.

Some surprises in the Line-ups

British and Irish Lions: 15 Hugo Keenan, 14 Tommy Freeman, 13 Huw Jones, 12 Sione Tuipulotu, 11 James Lowe, 10 Finn Russell, 9 Jamison Gibson-Park; 1 Ellis Genge, 2 Dan Sheehan, 3 Tadhg Furlong, 4 Maro Itoje (c), 5 Joe McCarthy, 6 Tadhg Beirne, 7 Tom Curry, 8 Jack Conan.

Replacements: 16 Ronan Kelleher, 17 Andrew Porter, 18 Will Stuart, 19 Ollie Chessum, 20 Ben Earl, 21 Alex Mitchell, 22 Marcus Smith, 23 Bundee Aki.

Australia: 15 Tom Wright, 14 Max Jorgensen, 13 Joseph Suaalii, 12 Len Ikitau, 11 Harry Potter, 10 Tom Lynagh, 9 Jake Gordon; 1 James Slipper, 2 Matt Faessler, 3 Allan Alaalatoa, 4 Nick Frost, 5 Jeremy Williams, 6 Nick Champion de Crespigny, 7 Fraser McReight, 8 Harry Wilson (c).

Replacements: 16 Billy Pollard, 17 Angus Bell, 18 Tom Robertson, 19 Tom Hooper 20 Carlo Tizzano, 21 Tate McDermott, 22 Ben Donaldson, 23 Andrew Kellaway.

Jac Morgan unlucky to not feature after a great tour and Will Skelton and Rob Valetini will be out for the first test through injury.

Moving abroad would put on ice any ambitions to play for England. Italy, who he also qualified for and who Louis now represents, would be tricky given the logistics.

All Lynagh’s chips would be on Aussie green and gold.

On Saturday, five years on from that video call, they pay out as he starts for Australia against the British and Irish Lions in Brisbane.

“We all sat down, he thought about it, spoke to all the relevant parties and made a sensible, mature and informed decision,” says Paul Burke, former Ireland and Harlequins fly-half and Lynagh’s director of rugby at Epsom College.

“He understood that his talent was recognised over here and that he had opportunities to stay in England, but he went with his heart, with what he wanted.

“It was a huge step out of his comfort zone, without his mum and dad, staying with his grandparents and establishing himself in a new environment.”

Lynagh travelled down under with baggage. His father Michael is a 24-carat, 72-cap Wallaby legend. Like Tom, he played fly-half. Michael was an ever-present on the touchlines of Tom’s school matches, quietly watching and supporting.

But it was an attitude, as much as inherited attributes, that marked Lynagh junior out to Burke.

“From the outset he was extremely talented,” Burke adds. “He was always going to be destined for greatness.

“He was a fantastic cricketer, an excellent footballer and a sublime rugby player.

“His functional movement and ability to read a game were very natural, but most of all it was his character and attitude.

“I said to him when he was leaving that it would hold him in good stead.”

Former Wales and Lions three-quarter Dafydd James says the lack of a Welshman in the line-up “says exactly where Welsh rugby is and it’s worrying”.

James, a Lions Test cap against Australia in 2001, said: “I didn’t think he’d [Morgan] get in, unfortunately, because unless he was going to start, I didn’t think they were going to put him on a bench, which is a travesty.

“But just purely on the basis of there’s so many back-row options there, it didn’t look from the first couple of games that Jac was figuring as his [Farrell’s] main seven, which is bitterly disappointing.

“It’s sobering and a sad indictment of the way the game has gone in Wales. Only two players being selected is hard, and you’d have to say on the back of 18 losses we were always going to be up against it trying to get many more players.

“I thought there might have been four going on the tour, and we’d be in with a chance [of players in the Test XV].

“And I thought with Williams, who started his campaign on the Lions tour, he was looking sharp.

“He was probably my tip for starting nine, but unfortunately he pulled a hamstring and then Jac stood up. He didn’t really figure that much in the Argentina game, but that could be just a little bit rusty, not knowing the team members around you.

“And then he had an exceptional game where he had a man of the match performance and put himself back in contention.

“I would have picked him personally, but I’m just reading between the lines he [Farrell] seems to favour Curry, [Josh] Van der Flier and obviously [Henry] Pollock.”

Fly-half Tom Lynagh will emulate his father, the Wallaby great Michael, when he starts for Australia in Saturday’s first Test against the British and Irish Lions.

In the absence of regular starter Noah Lolesio, Lynagh, 22, will win his fourth cap at the Suncorp Stadium, wearing number 10 as Michael did in the 1989 series against the Lions.

With key forward Rob Valetini missing with a calf problem, Champion de Crespigny makes his debut on the flank with Harry Wilson captaining from number eight.

Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii, the 21-year-old cross-code superstar, partners Len Ikitau in the midfield, but there is no place in the squad for giant lock Will Skelton.

“The whole squad has worked hard as a group to prepare for what’s going to a massive challenge against an in-form Lions team,” said Australia head coach Joe Schmidt.

Loose-head prop Angus Bell is held back on the bench, with the experienced James Slipper starting instead while, with Skelton absent, Nick Frost and Jeremy Williams are in the second row.

Schmidt says both Valetini and Skelton were close to selection as they recover from their calf injuries.

“They were right on the edge, if it was last game of series they probably would have played but you can’t try and push them,” he explained.

Schmidt has made four changes from the starting XV that edged past Fiji 21-18 earlier this month, after which the Australia boss played down his side’s chances of beating the Lions in the three-Test series.

“We didn’t play well enough for people to have the expectation that we’re going to come bowling into Brisbane and knock the Lions over,” Schmidt said at the time.

The Lions have been keen to emphasise they are focused on themselves but like many of the squad, Conan has been coached by Wallabies Joe Schmidt and there is a lot of mutual respect.

“I think he’s had success no matter where he’s gone whether it be with Leinster, with us and obviously the All Blacks and now Australia,” Conan said.

“There’s an emphasis he puts on certain areas of the game.

“Look, it’s not going to be an easy game at all.

“Test match rugby never is so we’re going to have to be at our best.

“I think the media might give them a bit of a hard time but we know that they’re an unbelievably good side with incredible athletes across the park.

“And we know how motivated they are going to be for this first Test match in 12 years on home soil against the Lions so we’ll have to make sure that their motivation isn’t hard on us.”

So the serious business of this tour is about to kick in and Conan is ready to face the challenge – if selected.

“No-one can ever take away being a Lion for me and playing in three Tests – but four years ago is definitely not the same as now,” he said.

“This has been an incredible joy and the best few weeks of my career and I think that’s a sentiment that’s shared throughout the squad.

“Everyone’s loving it and loving the challenge. We are unbelievably excited for Saturday to hopefully we can go out and create a bit of history.”

Ireland and Leinster tight-head prop Tom Clarkson will join the British and Irish Lions squad to provide additional front row cover before the first Test against Australia on Saturday.

The 25-year-old was given his Ireland debut by Andy Farrell, the Lions head coach, in November and has gone on to win eight caps.

England hooker Jamie George was called up by the Lions on Saturday, with Luke Cowan-Dickie a doubt for the first Test in Brisbane after suffering a suspected concussion in Saturday’s big win against the AUNZ Invitational XV.

Ireland’s leading tight-head props Tadhg Furlong and Finlay Bealham are already in Australia, with Clarkson linking up after starting Ireland’s 106-7 win over Portugal on Saturday to bring the Irish contingent in the squad up to 18 players.

Clarkson has benefited from Furlong’s injury troubles this season at both club and international level.

His Leinster and Ireland team-mate Jamie Osborne, who is comfortable at centre and full-back, has arrived in Brisbane after being called up earlier in the week as training cover for Blair Kinghorn.

The 23-year-old utility back was due to start against Portugal but was pulled out of the game after being called up by the Lions.

Centre Garry Ringrose is out of the British and Irish Lions’ first Test against Australia next Saturday, while hooker Luke Cowan-Dickie is a major doubt, says head coach Andy Farrell.

Ringrose, 30, was in strong contention to start the first Test in Brisbane but suffered a concussion in the Lions’ victory over ACT Brumbies on Wednesday.

Farrell confirmed the Ireland centre, who scored and was a standout performer against the Brumbies, would be available for the midweek game against First Nations and Pasifika XV on 22 July, before the second Test in Melbourne on 26 July.

Scotland’s Huw Jones delivered another impressive performance on Saturday in an eight-try win against the AUNZ Invitational XV and now looks certain to start the opening Test at outside centre.

The 31-year-old has started his past two Lions games alongside Scotland and Glasgow Warriors centre partner Sione Tuipulotu, which could now be Farrell’s first-Test midfield combination.

Ireland utility back Jamie Osborne was called up to the Lions squad on Thursday as “training cover” for Scotland full-back Kinghorn and is comfortable playing at centre or full-back.

“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.

“You don’t mess around with these things and it is unfortunate for him and everyone else. He’s in good spirits anyway, so we crack on.”