Ireland’s Rory Best will has missed out on joining up with the Lions squad ahead of the tour to South Africa, after Scotland’s Ross Ford was named as the replacement hooker for the injured Jerry Flannery this afternoon. A replacement for Welsh wing Leigh Halfpenny will be announced “in due course”, according to a Lions statement released this afternoon.
Best, therefore, will captain Ireland as planned when they take on Canada in Vancouver tomorrow night, while Flannery was due to undergo surgery today after the elbow injury he sustained in training this week was assessed by an orthopaedic specialist yesterday.
"Munster hooker Jerry Flannery tore ligaments in his left elbow in training on Wednesday that unfortunately ruled him out of the tour,” said Lions tour manager Gerald Davies in a statement.
“His place in the tour squad is taken by Edinburgh's 25-year old hooker Ross Ford who played in all five of Scotland's 2009 Six Nations championship matches."
Head coach Ian McGeechan added: "Jerry has had a terrific season and he anchored the Irish scrum during Ireland's Six Nations Grand Slam season. It is disappointing that after selection for the Lions his season should end with a pre-tour injury.
"Injuries are a part of the game and while very distressing for the affected player we as a squad have to accept them as a fact of life. It is a part of the game we play. We are focussed on moving forward, concentrating on the task at hand and the first match."
"Ross is a terrific player and he will naturally slot straight in as hooker. I look forward to welcoming him into camp tonight," added McGeechan.
Ford, who plays for Edinburgh, said on the club's website: "It's a great honour. I'm chuffed to bits. Geech phoned me and said: 'I think you know why I'm calling.'"
Recalling watching the Lions tour South Africa in 1997, he added: "That would be the first time I realised just how much the Lions means. I remember buying the Living with the Lions video after the tour and just about wearing it out through watching it so often – and learning a few new words from Jim Telfer too.
"To be selected is a great honour – right up there with my best rugby achievements, but until I actually play and win in the jersey I haven't really done the hard bit yet.
"Of course I was disappointed to miss out on selection first time around but I just knuckled down and concentrated on doing my job for Edinburgh and it was great to finish the Magners League season on a high and secure the runners-up spot."
Halfpenny suffered a thigh injury that will force him to miss the first two weeks of the trip. Coupled wiith the loss of centre Tom Shanklin last week, it means versatility is the key for any replacement coming into the squad.
England and London Irish back Delon Armitage would seemingly tick all the boxes,considering he is adept at playing on the wing, at fullback and more recently in the centre for his club.
Like Halfpenny, he is also a long distance kicking option.
Other contenders include England's Danny Cipriani and Welshman James Hook.
