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Selected Lions star dramatically rules himself out in 'self-less' last-minute call
By Ian Cameron reporting from Melbourne
In a selfless act by British & Irish Lions star Garry Ringrose, the centre has effectively ruled himself out of a starting place for the second Test against the Wallabies in Melbourne.
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Ringrose had been set to start alongside Bundee Aki in an all-Irish midfield after Sione Tuipulotu was forced out of contention with a tight hamstring.
The Leinster man approached head coach Andy Farrell at today’s training session at Xavier College in Melbourne to reveal he didn’t feel right, in what the head coach described as a recurrence of a concussion-related injury that had ruled him out of the first Test in Brisbane.
Ringrose had previously cleared HIA protocols after experiencing a delayed reaction “early in the door” and featured against the First Nations & Pasifika XV on Tuesday at Marvel Stadium. He came on after 16 minutes following an injury to winger Darcy Graham.
“Garry was actually selected and unfortunately after training he’s had to pull out,” Farrell said.
“It’s head-related again. It was literally as I was walking off the field. He came to me, and once that’s mentioned, that’s that.
“There was no incident. He was feeling good well in advance of Tuesday. He was fit and ready to play.
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“There was no incident through the game on Tuesday at all, nothing yesterday (Wednesday) and nothing this morning, but with these type of things players are getting very good at telling the truth of how they feel, so it was a no-brainer to make the change straight away.
“It’s very easy to keep it to yourself and lie and not be honest and open. It was very big of him and the right thing to do, 100 per cent. For the team as well, not just for Garry.
“It’s unfortunate for Garry but we’ve always said it’s about the squad, and nothing but about the squad.”
Scotland centre Tuipulotu has not, however, been ruled out of the rest of the tour.
Farrell Senior has made three changes to the starting line-up that won the first Test 27–19.
Owen Farrell has been named on the bench four days after captaining the Lions in the midweek victory over the First Nations and Pasifika.
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Farrell will make his first Test appearance since the 2023 World Cup, covering fly-half and inside centre.
Joe McCarthy has lost his battle with the foot condition plantar fasciitis, so Ollie Chessum is drafted into the second row, and there is an adjustment at loosehead prop, where Andrew Porter is preferred ahead of Ellis Genge.
additional reporting PA