Irish Prop Furlong Replaces Fagerson For Lions Japan Clash

London, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 24th Jun, 2021 ) :Irish prop Tadhg Furlong has replaced Zander Fagerson in the starting line-up for the British & Irish Lions match with Japan on Saturday due to the Scot suffering a back spasm, head coach Warren Gatland announced Thursday.

Fagerson is the second Scotland player to be ruled out of the match which is being played at Murrayfield.

Flanker Hamish Watson withdrew on Wednesday after suffering a head knock in training and has to undergo the return-to-play protocols for concussion.

Furlong was one of the stand out players under Gatland in the epic drawn three test series in 2017 with then world champions New Zealand.

Gatland originally picked a large home contingent as a nod to the fixture being staged in Edinburgh, where a crowd of 16,500 will be present.

Only two remain -- wing Duhan Van Der Merwe and loosehead prop Rory Sutherland.

"It's a shame for Zander not to be able to run out at Murrayfield as a Lion, but he's not quite 100 per cent," said Gatland in a Lions statement.

"He'll get a chance to start in the next two games and stake a claim for a Test spot in South Africa, so it's not worth the risk." Despite the drop-outs, England are still not represented in a Lions starting XV for the first time in 71 years, but prop Kyle Sinckler's promotion to the bench for Furlong means five of Eddie Jones' men are on the bench.

This weekend's match is a landmark fixture for the Lions as it is both the first time they have played in Scotland and the first occasion they have taken on Japan.

The Lions leave the day after the match for their tour of South Africa which culminates in a three Test series with the world champions.