Tadhg Furlong [right] is fit to start on the bench for the British and Irish Lions against Argentina on Friday British and Irish Lions v Argentina Venue:Aviva Stadium, DublinDate:Friday, 20 JuneKick-off:20:00 BST Coverage:Live text commentary on the BBC Sport website and app, and updates on BBC Radio 5 Live British and Irish Lions head coach Andy Farrell believes scrum-half Jamison Gibson-Park will be "up and running" by the time the side reach Australia next week. After sitting out Leinster's United Rugby Championship (URC) final victory over the Bulls on Saturday, Gibson-Park - who is widely tipped to be the starting nine come the Test series against the Wallabies - will notfeature against Argentinain Dublin on Friday night because of injury. Farrell, though, said the results of a scan on Monday were "pretty positive" and added that those unavailable to face the Pumas in the tour's first game were "all a week or so away from being fit". "Good news on most of the injuries," said Farrell, who will be acting as Lions head coach for the first time on Friday. "There's always one or two bumps and bruises that you're trying to nurse, that's the nature of rugby. We're in good shape." Leicester Tigers scrum-halfJack van Poortvliet has been brought into campas cover, although England's Alex Mitchell will start at nine at the Aviva Stadium with Wales' Tomos Williams on the bench. Hugo Keenan and Tadhg Furlong also missed out as Leinster claimed their first silverware in four years at Croke Park on Saturday, but the latter will play his first rugby since his side's Investec Champions Cup semi-final defeat by Northampton Saints on 3 May should he come off the bench against Argentina. Furlong, 32, will become a Lion for a third time at the end of a season when he has been dogged by injury and only featured nine times for his province and Ireland. "He's fit and ready to go," Farrell said of the tight-head prop, while adding that Scotland and Glasgow centre Huw Jones has trained fully. "He's trained well and as keen as everyone else to get the show on the road." With Leinster, Bath and Leicester Tigers all involved in domestic finals last weekend, and Toulouse's season still ongoing in France, it was a smaller panel that Farrell brought to Portugal last week for a training camp. Although Leinster hooker Ronan Kelleher will be on the bench on Friday night six days after lifting the URC, the remainder of the side picked to face Argentina were present when preparations kicked off. "Those guys are ahead of the game. It turned out quite a nice mix for those guys to get ahead of curve [and was] quite a diverse group in terms of combinations and people not playing together," said Farrell. "It's nice for that group to have a week where they get settled in and for the other guys to join them on Monday, some on a high, one [Leicester's Ollie Chessum] not, but it's nice for them to have a bit of time to spend with the lads, get to know everyone, and see what's been going on. "They've had one training session so it was nice to get everyone together finally." Despite picking from a smaller pool of players, Farrell believes that the talent at his disposal this weekend shows the depth of the touring party. "It's exciting. I did an exercise a couple of weeks ago, and I've done it about five times since, of what you think that the Test side could be. You can't even go there because there's such good competition. "The exciting thing about Friday night is these guys get to show their team-mates sat in the stand what they're all about. "Ultimately what happens on these tours, you can talk about anything you want to but, these guys, all they're trying to do is gain respect off one another." After facing Argentina, the Lions will fly to Perth and meet Western Force on 28 June with the first Test against Australia taking place in Brisbane on 19 July.
Lions in 'good shape' with injuries - Farrell
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"Andy Farrell Updates on Injury Status of British and Irish Lions Ahead of Argentina Match"
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TruthLens AI Summary
British and Irish Lions head coach Andy Farrell provided an update on the team's injury status ahead of their match against Argentina on Friday. Notably, scrum-half Jamison Gibson-Park is expected to recover in time for the Lions' upcoming tour in Australia, despite missing the game in Dublin due to injury. Farrell expressed optimism after a positive scan result, indicating that most players who are currently unavailable are only a week away from returning to full fitness. This news comes as the Lions prepare for their first match of the tour, with Farrell emphasizing the importance of managing the usual bumps and bruises associated with rugby. He stated, 'We're in good shape,' reflecting his confidence in the squad's readiness for the challenges ahead. In Gibson-Park's absence, Alex Mitchell will start at the scrum-half position, while Jack van Poortvliet has been brought into the squad as cover. Farrell is also happy to report that Tadhg Furlong is fit to play, making his return after a challenging season plagued by injuries.
The Lions have been training with a smaller group due to the involvement of several players in domestic finals last weekend, but Farrell believes this has provided a unique opportunity for the team to bond and prepare effectively. He noted the importance of the training camp in Portugal, where the squad was able to settle in and familiarize themselves with each other ahead of the match. Farrell highlighted the depth of talent within the touring party, suggesting that competition for places is fierce, which is exciting for the team. He mentioned that the players are eager to earn the respect of their teammates and showcase their abilities in the upcoming match. Following the fixture against Argentina, the Lions will travel to Perth for a match against the Western Force before beginning their Test series against Australia on July 19.
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