The Irish dominance of the 2025 British and Irish Lions is continuing, with Thomas Clarkson becoming the latest Ireland international to be called up to the squad in Australia.
The Lions have confirmed that the tighthead prop is to join the squad as cover ahead of the first Test against the Wallabies on Saturday.
Clarkson, who made his eighth Ireland appearance in last night's 106-7 win against Portugal, is now the eighteenth Irish player to be called up by head coach Andy Farrell, and fourteenth from Leinster.
The 25-year-old caps off a breakthrough season with a dream Lions call, having played 26 games for club and country, scoring three tries.
The Lions have not confirmed whether or not Clarkson’s call-up is injury-related. Tadhg Furlong is favourite to start in Saturday’s first Test, and was rested for yesterday’s 48-0 win against the AUNZ XV, while Will Stuart and Finlay Bealham both appeared to come through that game unscathed.
With one more mid-week game to come against a First Nations and Pasifika XV on Tuesday 22 July, it’s possible that Farrell wants to keep both of his Test tightheads on ice that week.
It’s been a busy week of call-ups, with Clarkson the third player to be drafted in recent days.
England’s Jamie George is currently in transit from Argentina after he was called up as cover for Luke Cowan-Dickie, who suffered a concussion in Saturday’s win in Adelaide.
And Clarkson’s Leinster team-mate Jamie Osborne has just arrived in Brisbane, having been called in as cover for both Blair Kinghorn and Garry Ringrose.
